/BE  R  K  E  L  E Y     \ 

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Books  by  Laura  E.  Richards. 


Melody.  The  Story  of  a  Child.  i6mo,  cloth,  50 
cents. 

Had  there  never  been  a  "  Captain  January,"  "  Melody  " 
would  easily  take  first  place.  — Boston  Times. 

The  quaintly  pretty,  touching,  old-fashioned  story  is  told 
with  perfect  grace,  the  few  persons  who  belong  to  it  are 
touched  in  with  destinctness  and  with  sympathy.  —  Mil 
waukee  Sentinel. 

Captain   January.      Square    i6mo,   cloth  (white 

back),  50  cents. 

A  charming  idyl  of  New  England  coast  life,  whose  suc 
cess  has  been  very  remarkable.  One  reads  it,  is  thorough 
ly  charmed  by  it,  tells  others,  and  so  its  fame  has  been 
heralded  by  its  readers,  until  to-day  it  is  selling  by  the 
thousands,  constantly  enlarging  the  circle  of  its  delighted 
admirers. 

Same.     Illustrated  Holiday  Edition.    With  thirty 

half-tone  pictures  from  drawings  by  Frank  T. 

Merrill.     '410,  cloth,  #1.25. 
Narcissa,   and   a   companion    Story,  In  Verona. 

161110,  cloth,  50  cents. 
When   I   was   Your   Age.      410,  cloth,  gilt  top, 

$1.25. 

The  titlj  most  happily  introduces  the  reader  to  the 
charming  home  life  of  Dr.  Howe  and  Mrs.  Julia  Ward 
Howe,  during  the  childhood  of  the  author. 

Glimpses  of  the  French  Court.     Sketches  from 

French  History.       Illustrated  with  a  series  of 

portraits  in  etching  and  photogravure      Square 

i2mo,  cloth,  $1.50. 

With  true  literary  touch,  she  gives  us  the  story  of  some 

of  the  salient  figures  of  this  remarkable  period. 

Marie.      Square  i6mo   50  cents. 


Estes  &  Lann'at,  Publishers,  Boston. 


CAPTAIN    JANUARY 


BY 

LAURA  E.  RICHARDS 


EIGHTIETH  THOUSAND 


BOSTON 

ESTES   &   LAURIAT 
1895 


OOPTBIOHT,   18WU, 

BY  E8TES  &  LAUR1AT. 
jLu.  BIGHTS  RESBRVKU 


GIFT 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  PACE 

I.    STAR  BRIGHT ••••»•«,.,      1 

II.     THE  STORY 13 

III.  INTRODUCING  IMOGEN  AND  BOB 24 

IV.  THE  VISIT 35 

V.     CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAR 42 

VI.    THE  SIGNAL .    .    ,  ,56 


70G 


CAPTAIN"    JANUARY. 


CAPTAIN    JANUARY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

STAR    BRIGHT. 

THE  Captain  had  sold  all  Ms  lobsters.  They  had  been 
particularly  fine  ones,  and  had  gone  off  "like  hot 
cakes,"  every  one  who  passed  by  the  wharf  stopping  to  buy 
one  or  two.  Now  the  red  dory  was  empty,  and  the  Captain 
had  washed  her  out  with  his  usual  scrupulous  care,  and  was 
making  preparations  for  his  homeward  voyage,  when  he 
was  hailed  by  a  cheery  voice  from  the  street. 

"  Hillo,  January  ! "  said  the  voice.  "  Is  that  you  ?  How 
goes  it  ?  "  and  the  owner  of  the  voice,  a  sturdy  man  in  a 
blue  coat  with  brass  buttons,  came  down  the  wharf  and 
greeted  the  Captain  with  a  hearty  shake  of  the  hand. 

"  How  goes  it  ?  "  he  repeated.  "  I  haven't  seen  ye  for  a 
dog's  age." 

.  " I'm   hearty,   Cap'n  Nazro ! "  replied  Captain  January. 
"  Hearty,  that's  what  I  am,  an'  hopin'  you're  the  same." 

"That's  right!"  said  the  first  speaker.  "'Tain't  often 
we  set  eyes  on  you,  you  stick  so  close  to  your  light.  And 
ths  little  gal,  she's  well,  I  expect?  She  looks  a  picture, 
when  I  take  a  squint  at  her  through  the  glass  sometimes. 
Never  misses  running  out  and  shaking  her  apron  when  we 
go  by!" 


2  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

"Cap'n  Nazro,"  said  January,  speaking  with  emphasis, 
"  if  there  is  a  pictur  in  this  world,  of  health,  and  pootiness, 
and  goodness,  it's  that  child.  It's  that  little  un,  sir.  Not 
to  be  beat  in  this  country,  nor  yet  any  other,  'cordin'  as 
I've  voyaged." 

"Nice  little  gal ! "  said  Captain  Nazro,  assenting.  "  Mighty 
nice  little  gal !  Ain't  it  time  she  was  going  to  school,  Janu 
ary  ?  My  wife  and  I  were  speaking  about  it  only  the  other 
day.  Seems  as  if  she'd  oughter  be  round  with  other  chil 
dren  now,  and  learning  what  they  do.  Mis  Nazro  would 
be  real  pleased  to  have  her  stop  with  us  a  spell,  and  go  to 
school  with  our  gals.  What  do  you  say  ?  "  He  spoke  very 
heartily,  but  looked  doubtfully  at  the  old  man,  as  if  hardly 
expecting  a  favorable  answer. 

Captain  January  shook  his  head  emphatically.  "  You're 
real  kind,  Cap'n  Nazro  !  "  he  said ;  "  real  kind,  you  and  Mis 
Nazro  both  are !  and  she  makin'  the  little  un's  frocks  and 
pinafores,  as  is  a  great  help.  But  I  can't  feel  to  let  her  out 
oj  my  sight,  nohow ;  and  as  for  school,  she  ain't  the  kind  to 
abear  it,  nor  yet  I  couldn't  for  her.  She's  learnin' ! "  he 
added  proudly.  "  Learnin'  well'!  I'll  bet  there  ain't  no 
gal  in  your  school  knows  more  nor  that  little  un  does. 
Won'erful,  the  way  she  walks  ahead." 

"  Get  the  school  readers,  hey !  and  teach  her  yourself, 
do  you  ?  "  queried  Captain  Nazro. 

"No,  sir ! "  replied  the  old  man;  "I  don't  have  no  school 
readers.  The  child  learns  out  o'  the  two  best  books  in  the 
world,  —  the  Bible,  and  William  Shakespeare's  book;  them's 
all  the  books  she  ever  seed  —  saw,  I  should  say." 

"William  Shak — "  began  Captain  Nazro;  and  then  he 
broke  off  in  sheer  amazement,  and  said  simply,  "  Well,  Pm 
blowed ! " 


STAR  BRIGHT.  3 

"The  minister  giv  'em  to  rue,"  said  Captain  January. 
"  I  reckon  he  knows.  There's  a  dictionary,  too,"  he  added, 
rather  sadly ;  "  but  I  can't  make  her  take  to  that,  nohow, 
though  there's  a  power  o'  fine  words  in  it." 

Then,  as  the  other  man  remained  silent  and  open-mouthed, 
he  said :  "But  I  must  be  goin',  Cap'n  Nazro,  sir  !  The  little 
un'll  be  lookin'  for  me.  Good  day,  sir,  and  thank  ye  kindly, 
all  the  same  as  if  it  was  to  be,  which  it  ain't !  "  And  with 
a  friendly  gesture,  the  old  man  stepped  into  his  red  dory, 
and  rowed  away  with  long,  sturdy  strokes. 

Captain  Kazro  gazed  after  him  meditatively,  took  out 
his  pipe  and  looked  at  it,  then  gazed  again.  "January's 
cracked,"  he  said;  "that's  what's  the  matter  with  him. 
He's  a  good  man,  and  a  good  lighthouse-keeper,  and  he's 
been  an 'able  seaman  in  his  day,  none  better;  but  he's 
cracked ! " 

There  is  an  island  off  a  certain  part  of  the  coast  of  Maine 
—  a  little  rocky  island,  heaped  and  tumbled  together  as  if 
Dame  Nature  had  shaken  down  a  heap  of  stones  at  random 
from  her  apron,  when  she  had  finished  making  the  larger 
islands  which  lie  between  it  and  the  mainland.  At  one 
end,  the  shoreward  end,  there  is  a  tiny  cove,  and  a  bit  of 
silver  sand  beach,  with  a  green  meadow  beyond  it,  and  a 
single  great  pine ;  but  all  the  rest  is  rocks,  rocks.  At  the 
further  end  the  rocks  are  piled  high,  like  a  castle  wall, 
making  a  brave  barrier  against  the  Atlantic  waves :  and  on 
top  of  this  cairn  rises  the  lighthouse,  rugged  and  sturdy  as 
the  rocks  themselves,  but  painted  white,  and  with  its  win 
dows  shining  like  great,  smooth  diamonds.  This  is  Light 
Island ;  and  it  was  in  this  direction  that  Captain  January's 
red  dory  was  headed  when  he  took  his  leave  of  his  brother- 
captain,  and  rowed  away  from  the  wharf.  It  was  a  long 


4  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

pull ;  in  fact,  it  took  pretty  nearly  the  whole  afternoon,  so 
that  the  evening  shadows  were  lengthening  when  at  length 
he  laid  down  his  oars,  and  felt  the  boat's  nose  rub  against 
the  sand  of  the  little  home-cove.  But  rowing  was  no  more 
effort  than  breathing  to  Captain  January,  and  it  was  no 
fatigue,  but  only  a  trifle  of  stiffness  from  sitting  so  long, 
that  troubled  him  a  little  in  getting  out  of  the  boat.  As  he 
stepped  slowly  out  upon  the  firm-grained  silver  of  the  little 
beach,  he  looked  up  and  around  with  an  expectant  air,  and 
seeing  no  one,  a  look  of  disappointment  crossed  his  face. 
He  opened  his  lips  as  if  to  call  some  one,  but  checking  him 
self,  " Happen  she's  gettiii'  supper!"  he  said.  "It's  later 
than  I  thought.  I  don't  pull  so  spry  as  I  used  ter,  'pears 
ter  me.  Wai,  thar  !  'tain't  to  be  expected.  I  sh'll  be  forty 
years  old  before  I  know  it." 

Chuckling  to  himself,  the  Captain  drew  up  the  little  boat 
and  made  her  fast :  then,  taking  sundry  brown  paper  par 
cels  from  under  the  thwart,  he  turned  and  made  his  way 
up  toward  the  lighthouse,  A  picturesque  figure  he  was, 
striding  along  among  the  heaped  and  tumbled  rocks.  His 
hair  and  beard,  still  thick  and  curly,  were  absolutely  white, 
as  white  as  the  foam  that  broke  over  the  rooks  at  the  cliff's 
foot.  His  face  was  tanned  and  weather-beaten  to  the  color 
of  mahogany,  but  the  features  were  strong  and  sharply  cut, 
while  the  piercing  blue  eyes  which  gleamed  beneath  his 
shaggy  eyebrows  showed  all  the  fire  of  youth,  and  seemed 
to  have  no  part  in  the  seventy  years  which  had  bent  the 
tall  form,  and  rounded  slightly  the  broad  and  massive 
shoulders.  The  Captain  wore  a  rough  pea-jacket  and  long 
boots,  while  his  head  was  adorned  with  a  nondescript  cov 
ering  which  might  have  begun  life  either  as  a  hat  or  a  cap, 
but  would  now  hardly  be  owned  by  either  family. 


STAR  BRIGHT.  5 

Reaching  the  house,  the  old  man  mounted  the  rude  steps 
which  led  to  the  door,  and  entered  the  room  which  was 
kitchen,  dining,  and  drawing  room  at  Storm  Castle,  as 
the  lighthouse  was  called  by  its  inhabitants.  The  room 
was  light  and  cheerful,  with  a  pleasant  little  fire  crac 
kling  sociably  on  the  hearth.  The  table  was  laid  with  a 
clean  white  cloth,  the  kettle  was  singing  on  the  hob,  and 
a  little  covered  saucepan  was  simmering  with  an  agreeable 
and  suggestive  sound ;  but  no  one  was  to  be  seen.  Alarmed, 
he  hardly  knew  why,  at  the  silence  and  solitude,  Captain 
January  set  his  parcels  down  on  the  table,  and  going  to  the 
foot  of  the  narrow  stone  staircase  which  wound  upward  be 
side  the  chimney,  called,  "Star!  Star  Bright,  where  are 
you  ?  Is  anything  wrong  ?" 

"  No,  Daddy  Captain  ! "  answered  a  clear,  childish  voice 
from  above ;  "  I'm  coming  in  a  minute.  Be  patient,  Daddy 
dear ! " 

With  a  sigh  of  relief,  Captain  January  retired  to  the  fire 
place,  and  sitting  down  in  a  huge  high-backed  armchair, 
began  leisurely  pulling  off  his  great  boots.  One  was  already 
off  and  in  his  hand,  when  a  slight  noise  made  him  look  up. 
He  started  violently,  and  then,  leaning  back  in  his  chair, 
gazed  in  silent  amazement  at  the  vision  before  him. 

On  the  stone  stairway,  and  slowly  descending,  with  steps 
that  were  meant  to  be  stately  (and  which  might  have  been 
so,  had  not  the  stairs  been  so  steep,  and  the  little  legs  so 
short)  was  the  figure  of  a  child:  a  little  girl  about  ten 
years  old,  with  a  face  of  almost  startling  beauty.  Her  hair 
floated  like  a  cloud  of  pale  gold  about  her  shoulders ;  her 
eyes  were  blue,  not  light  and  keen,  like  the  old  man's,  but 
of  that  soft,  deep,  shadowy  blue  that  poets  love  to  call 
violet.  Wonderful  eyes,  shaded  by  long,  curved  lashes  of 


6  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

deepest  black,  which  fell  on  the  soft,  rose-and-ivory  tinted 
cheek,  as  the  child  carefully  picked  her  way  down,  holding 
up  her  long  dress  from  her  little  feet.  It  was  the  dress 
which  so  astonished  Captain  January.  Instead  of  the  pink 
calico  frock  and  blue  checked  pinafore,  to  which  his  eyes 
were  accustomed,  the  little  figure  was  clad  in  a  robe  of  dark 
green  velvet  with  a  long  train,* which  spread  out  on  the 
staircase  behind  her,  very  much  like  the  train  of  a  peacock. 
The  body,  made  for  a  grown  woman,  hung  back  loosely  from 
her  shoulders,  but  she  had  tied  a  scarf  of  gold  tissue  under 
her  arms  and  round  her  waist,  while  from  the  long  hanging 
sleeves  her  arms  shone  round  and  white  as  sculptured  ivory. 
A  strange  sight,  this,  for  a  lighthouse  tower  on  the  coast  of 
Maine !  but  so  fair  a  one,  that  the  old  mariner  could  not 
take  his  eyes  from  it. 

"Might  be  Juliet!"  he  muttered  to  himself.  "Juliet, 
when  she  was  a  little  un.  '  Her  beauty  hangs  upon  the 
cheek  o'  Night,'  —  only  it  ain't,  so  to  say,  exactly  night,  — 
'like  a  rich  jewel  in  a  nigger's  ear.'  No  !  that  ain't  right. 
'  Nigger '  ain't  right,  <  Ethiop's  ear,'  that's  it !  Though  I 
should  judge  they  were  much  the  same  thing,  and  they 
more  frekently  wear  'em  in  their  noses,  them  as  I've  seen 
in  their  own  country." 

As  he  thus  soliloquized,  the  little  maidea  reached  the 
bottom  of  the  stairs  in  safety,  and  dropping  the  folds  of 
the  velvet  about  her,  made  a  quaint  little  courtesy,  and 
said,  "  Here  I  am,  Daddy  Captain !  how  do  you  like  me, 
please  ?  " 

"  Star  Bright,"  replied  Captain  January,  gazing  fixedly 
at  her,  as  he  slowly  drew  his  pipe  from  his  pocket  arid 
lighted  it.  "  I  like  you  amazin'.  ^4-mazin'  I  like  you,  my 
dear  !  but  it  is  what  you  might  call  surprising  to  leave  a 


STAR   BRIGHT.  1 

little  maid  in  a  blue  pinafore,  and  to  come  back  and  find  a 
princess  in  gold  and  velvet.  Yes,  Pigeon  Pie,  you  might 
call  it  surprising  and  yet  not  be  stretchiii'  a  p'int/' 

"  Am  I  really  like  a  princess  ?  "  said  the  child,  clapping 
her  hands,  and  laughing  with  pleasure.  "  Have  you  ever 
seen  a  princess,  Daddy  Captain,  and  did  she  look  like  me  ?  " 

"I  seed  —  I  saw — one,  once,"  replied  the  captain,  gravely, 
puffing  at  his  pipe.  "  In  Af ricky  it  was,  when  I  was  fust 
mate  to  an  Indiaman.  And  she  wa'n't  like  you,  Peach 
Blossom,  no  more  than  Hyperion  to  a  Satyr,  and  that  kind 
o'  thing.  She  had  on  a  short  petticut,  comin'  half-way 
down  to  her  knees,  and  a  necklace,  and  a  ring  through  her 
nose.  And  —  " 

"  Where  were  her  other  clothes  ?  "  asked  the  child. 

"  Wai  —  maybe  she  kem  off  in  a  hurry  and  forgot  'em  !  'r 
said  the  Captain,  charitably.  "  Anyhow,  not  speakin'  her 
language,  I  didn't  ask  her.  And  she  was  as  black  as  the 
ace  of  spades,  and  shinin'  all  over  with  butter." 

"  Oh,  that  kind  of  princess  !  ".said  Star,  loftily.  "  I  didn't 
mean  that  kind,  Daddy.  I  meant  the  kind  who  live  in 
fretted  palaces,  with  music  in  th'  enamelled  stones,  you 
know,  and  wore  clothes  like  these  every  day." 

"  Wai,  honey,  I  never  saw  one  of  that  kind,  till  now  ! " 
said  the  Captain,  meekly.  "  And  I'm  sorry  I  hain't  —  I 
mean  I  ain't  —  got  no  fretted  palace  for  my  princess  to  live 
in.  This  is  a  poor  place  for  golden  lasses  and  velvet 
trains." 

"  It  isn't ! "  cried  the  child,  her  face  flashing  into  sudden 
anger,  and  stamping  her  foot.  "  You  sha'n't  call  it  a  poor 
place,  Daddy  !  It's  wicked  of  you.  And  I  wouldn't  live  in 
a  palace  if  there  were  fifty  of  them  all  set  in  .a  row.  So 
there  now  !  "  She  folded  her  arms  and  looked  defiantly  at 


8  CAPTAIN  JANUABY. 

the  old  man,  who  returned  her  gaze  placidly,  and  continued 
to  puff  at  his  pipe,  until  he  was  seized  in  a  penitent  em 
brace,  hugged,  and  kissed,  and  scolded,  and  wept  over,  all 
at  once. 

The  brief  tempest  over,  the  child  seated  herself  com 
fortably  on  his  knee,  and  said,  "Now,  Daddy,  I  want  a 
story." 

"  Story  before  supper  ?  "  asked  the  Captain,  meekly,  look 
ing  at  the  saucepan,  which  was  fairly  lifting  its  lid  in  its 
eagerness  to  be  attended  to.  A  fresh  access  of  remorseful 
hugging  followed. 

"  You  poor  darling  !  "  said  Star ;  "  I  forgot  all  about  sup 
per.  And  it's  stewed  kidneys,  too  !  But  oh !  my  dress  !  " 
and  she  glanced  down  at  her  velvet  splendor.  "  I  must  go 
and  take  it  off,'7  she  said,  sadly. 

"  Not  you,  Honeysuckle/'  said  the  old  man,  rising  and 
setting  the  child  down  carefully  in  the  chair.  "Sit  you 
there,  and  be  a  real  princess,  and  I  will  be  your  steward, 
and  get  supper  this  time.  .  I  like  to  see  you  in  your  fine 
clothes,  and  'twould  be  a  shame  to  take  'em  off  so  soon." 

She  clapped  her  hands  again,  and  settling  herself  coseyly 
in  the  great  chair,  arranged  her  train  with  a  graceful  sweep, 
and  pushed  back  her  cloudy  golden  hair. 

"  Shall  I  really  act  princess  ?  "  she  asked,  —  and  without 
waiting  for  an  answer,  she  began  to  give  orders  in  lofty 
tones,  holding  her  head  high  in  the  air,  and  pointing  hither 
and  thither  with  her  tiny  hands.  "Take  up  the  golden 
chafing-dish,  Grumio  !  "  she  cried.  "  The  kidneys  —  I  mean 
the  capons  —  are  quite  ready  now.  And  the  milk  —  no! 
the  sack,  —  is  in  the  silver  flagon  ! "  she  pointed  to  an  ancient 
blue  jug  which  stood  on  the  dresser. 

The  obedient  Captain  hastened  to  take  up  the  saucepan, 


STAR  BRIGHT. 

and  soon  the  frugal  supper  was  set  out,  and  princess  and 
steward  doing  ample  justice  to  it. 

"  You  didn't  say  4  Anon  !  anon  !  Madam '  when  I  ordered 
you  about,"  said  the  Princess,  thoughtfully.  "  You  ought  to, 
you  know.  Servants  always  do  in  the  book." 

"Wai,  I  didn't  think  on't,"  the  steward  admitted.  "I 
wa'n't  brought  up  to  the  business,  you  see,  Princess.  It 
always  seemed  to  me  a  foolish  thing  to  say,  anyhow  :  no  dis 
respect  to  W.  Shakespeare.  The  hull  of  the  word's  'anony 
mous/  I  believe,  and  the  dictionary  says  that  means  '  wanting 
a  name.'  So  altogether,  Star  Bright,  I  haven't  been  able 
to  make  much  sense  out  o'  that  answer." 

"  Oh,  never  mind  ! "  said  the  Princess,  tossing  her  head. 
"  I  don't  like  the  dictionary.  It's  a  wretch  !  " 

"  So  'tis,  so  'tis,"  assented  the  Captain,  with  servile  ala 
crity.  "  Have  some  more  milk  then,  Sunshine." 

"  It  isn't  milk  !  it's  sack,"  said  the  child,  promptly,  hold 
ing  out  her  small  yellow  mug  with  a  royal  air.  "  Are  the 
capons  good,  Grumio  ?  " 

"They  are,  my  lamb,  they  are,"  replied  the  Captain. 
"  Oncommon  good  they  are,  to  be  sure,  and  me  not  knowin' 
to  this  day  what  capons  was.  A  little  more  ?  Yes,  Pigeon 
Pie,  I  will  take  a  little  more,  thank  ye  kindly." 

"  I  don't  think,  Grumio,  that  you  ought  to  call  me  lambs 
and  pigeon  pies  just  now,"  remarked  the  Princess,  judi 
ciously.  "  Do  you  think  it's  respectful  ?  they  don't  in 
Shakespeare,  I'm  sure." 

"  I  won't  do  it  again,  Honey  —  I  mean  Madam,"  said  the 
Captain,  bowing  with  great  humility.  "I  beg  your  honora 
ble  majesty's  pardon,  and  I  won't  never  presume  to  —  " 

"Yes,  you  will!"  cried  the  Princess,  flinging  herself 
across  the  table  at  him,  and  nearly  choking  him  with  the 


10  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

sudden  violence  of  her  embrace.  "  You  shall  call  me  pigeon 
pie,  and  anything  else  you  like.  You  shall  call  me  rye  por 
ridge,  though  I  hate  it,  and  it's  always  full  of  lumps.  And 
don't  ever  look  that  way  again ;  it  kills  me  ! " 

The  Captain  quietly  removed  the  clinging  arms,  and 
kissed  them,  and  set  the  half-weeping  child  back  in  her  place. 
"There,  there,  there  !  "  he  said  soothingly.  "What  a  little 
tempest  it  is  !  " 

"  Say  '  delicate  Ariel,7 "  sobbed  Star.  "  You  haven't  said 
it  to-day,  and  you  always  say  it  when  you  love  me." 

"Cream  Cheese  from  the  dairy  of  Heaven,"  replied  the 
Captain ;  "  if  I  always  said  it  when  I  loved  you,  I  should  be 
sayin'  it  every  minute  of  time,  as  well  you  know.  But  you 
are  my  delicate  Ariel,  so  you  are,  and  there  ain't  nothin'  in 
the  hull  book  as  suits  you  better.  So  ! "  and  his  supper 
ended,  the  good  man  turned  his  chair  again  to  the  fire,  and 
took  the  child,  once  more  smiling,  upon  his  knee. 

"  And  now,  Ariel,  what  have  you  been  doin'  all  the  time  I 
was  away  ?  Tell  Daddy  all  about  it." 

Star  pondered  a  moment,  with  her  head  on  one  side,  and 
a  finger  hooked  confidentially  through  the  Captain's  button 
hole.  "  Well,"  she  said,  "  I've  had  a  very  interesting  time, 
Daddy  Captain.  First  I  cleaned  the  lamps,  of  course,  and 
filled  and  trimmed  them.  And  then  I  played  Samson  a 
good  while ;  and  —  " 

u  And  how  might  you  play  Samson  ?  "  inquired  the  Cap 
tain. 

"  With  flies  ! "  replied  Star,  promptly.  "  Heaps  upon 
heaps,  you  know;  'With  the  jaw-bone  of  an  ass  have  I 
slain  a  thousand  men.'  The  flies  were  the  Philistines,  and 
I  took  a  clam-shell  for  the  jaw-bone;  it  did  just  as  well. 
And  I  made  a  song  out  of  it,  to  one  of  the  tunes  you  whis- 


STAR   BRIGHT.  H 

tie  :  'With  the  jaw-bone  !  with  the  jaw-bone  !  with  the  jaw 
bone  of  an  ass  ! '  It  was  very  exciting." 

"Must  ha'  been,"  said  the  Captain,  dryly.  "Well, 
Honeysuckle,  what  did  you  do  then  ?  " 

"  Oh,  that  took  some  time  ! "  said  the  child.  "  And  after 
ward  I  fished  a  little,  but  I  didn't  catch  anything,  'cept  an 
old  flounder,  and  he  winked  at  me  so,  I  put  him  back.  And 
then  I  thought  a  long  time  —  oh !  a  very  long  time,  sitting 
like  Patience  on  the  doorstep.  And  suddenly,  Daddy  Cap 
tain,  I  thought  about  those  boxes  of  clothes,  and  how  you 
said  they  would  be  mine  when  I  was  big.  And  I  measured 
myself  against  the  doorpost,  and  found  that  I  was  very  big. 
I  thought  I  must  be  almost  as  big  as  you,  but  I  s'pose  I'd 
forgotten  how  big  you  were.  So  I  went  up,  and  opened  one 
box,  and  I  was  just  putting  the  dress  on  when  you  came  in. 
You  knew  where  it  came  from,  of  course,  Daddy,  the  moment 
you  saw  it." 

The  Captain  nodded  gravely,  and  pulled  his  long  mous 
taches. 

"  Do  you  suppose  my  poor  mamma  wore  it  often  ?  "  the 
child  went  on  eagerly.  "Do  you  think  she  looked  like  me 
when  she  wore  it  ?  Do  I  look  as  she  did  when  you  saw 
her  ?  " 

"Wai,"  began  the  Captain,  meditatively;  but  Star  ran  on 
without  waiting  for  an  answer. 

"Of  course,  though,  she  looked  very  different,  because 
she  was  dead.  You  are  quite  very  positively  sure  my  poor 
mamma  was  dead,  Daddy  Captain  ?  " 

"  She  were,"  replied  the  Captain,  with  emphasis.  "  She 
were  that,  Pigeon  Pie  !  You  couldn't  find  nobody  deader, 
not  if  you'd  sarched  for  a  week.  Why,  door  nails,  and  Julius 
Caesar,  and  things  o'  that  description,  would  ha'  been  lively 


12  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

compared  with  your  poor  ma  when  I  see  her.  Lively! 
that's  what  they'd  ha'  been." 

The  child  nodded  with  an  air  of  familiar  interest,  wholly 
untinged  with  sadness.  "  I  think/'  she  said,  laying  her  head 
against  the  old  man's  shoulder,  and  curling  one  arm  about 
his  neck,  "I  think  I  should  like  to  hear  about  it  again, 
please,  Daddy.  It's  a  long,  long  time  since  you  told  me  the 
whole  of  it." 

"  Much  as  a  month,  I  should  think  it  must  be,"  assented 
the  Captain.  "  Why,  Snowdrop,  you  know  the  story  by 
heart,  better'n  I  do,  I  believe.  'Pears  to  me  I've  told  it 
reg'lar,  once  a  month  or  so,  ever  since  you  were  old  enough 
to  understand  it." 

"Never  mind!"  said  the  Princess,  with  an  imperious 
gesture.  "  That  makes  no  difference.  I  want  it  now  ! " 

"  Wai,  wal ! "  said  the  Captain,  smoothing  back  the  golden 
hair.  "If  you  want  it,  why  of  course  you  must  have  it, 
Blossom !  But  first  I  must  light  up,  ye  know.  One  star 
inside  the  old  house,  and  the  other  atop  of  it :  that's  what 
makes  Light  Island  the  lightest  spot  in  the  natural  world. 
Sit  ye  here,  Star  Bright,  and  play  Princess  till  Daddy  comes 
back!" 


CHAPTER   II. 

THE   STORY. 

THE  lamps  were  lighted,  and  the  long,  level  rays  flashed 
their  golden  warning  over  the  murmuring  darkness  of 
the  summer  sea,  giving  cheer  to  many  hearts  on  inbound 
barque  or  schooner.  Bright  indeed  was  the  star  on  the  top 
of  the  old  lighthouse :  but  no  less  radiant  was  the  face  of 
little  Star,  as  she  turned  it  eagerly  toward  Captain  January, 
and  waited  for  the  beginning  of  the  well-known  and  well- 
loved  story. 

"Wai,"  said  the  Captain,  when  his  pipe  was  refilled 
and  drawing  bravely.  "  Let  me  see  now !  where  shall  I 
begin?" 

"  At  the  beginning  ! "  said  Star,  promptly. 

" Jes'  so! "  assented  the  old  man.    "Ten  year  ago  this  — " 

"  No  !  No  ! !  "  cried  the  child.  "  That  isn't  the  beginning, 
Daddy !  That's  almost  half-way  to  the  middle.  '  When  I 
was  a  young  lad/  That's  the  beginning." 

"  Bound  to  have  it  all,  are  ye,  Honeysuckle  ? "  said  the 
obedient  Captain.  "  Wai !  wal !  when  I  were  a  young  lad, 
I  was  a  wild  un,  ye  see,  Treasure.  My  father,  he  'prenticed 
me  to  a  blacksmith,  being  big  and  strong  for  my  years ;  but 
I  hadn't  no  heart  for  the  work  All  I  cared  about  was  the 
sea,  and  boats,  and  sailors,  and  sea  talk.  I  ran  away  down 
to  the  wharf  whenever  I  could  get  a  chance,  and  left  my 
work.  Why,  even  when  I  went  to  meeting  'stead  o'  lis- 
tenin'  to  the  minister,  I  was  lookin'  out  the  places  about 

13 


14  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

them  as  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  ye  know,  and  'that 
leviathan  whom  Thou  hast  made/  and  all  that.  And  there 
was  Hiram,  King  of  Tyre,  and  his  ships  !  Lord !  how  I 
used  to  think  about  them  ships,  and  wonder  how  they  was 
rigged,  and  how  many  tons  they  were,  and  all  about  it. 
Yes  !  I  was  a  wild  un,  and  no  mistake ;  and  after  a  while  I 
got  so  roused  up  —  after  my  mother  died,  it  was,  and  my 
father  married  again  —  that  I  just  run  away,  and  shipped 
aboard  of  a  whaler,  bound  for  the  north  seas.  Wai,  Honey, 
'twould  take  me  a  week  to  tell  ye  about  all  my  voyages. 
Long  and  short  of  it,  'twas  the  life  I  was  meant  for,  and  I 
done  well  in  it.  Had  tumbles  and  toss-ups,  here  and  there, 
same  as  everybody  has  in  any  kind  o'  life ;  but  I  done  well, 
and  by  the  time  I  was  forty  year  old  I  was  captain  of  the 
Bonito,  East  Indiaman,  sailin'  from  New  York  to  Calcutta." 

The  Captain  paused,  and  puffed  gravely  at  his  pipe  for  a 
few  minutes. 

"Well,  Rosebud,"  he  continued  presently,  "you  know 
what  comes  next.  The  Bonito  was  cast  away,  in  a  cyclone, 
on  a  desert  island,  and  all  hands  lost,  except  me  and  one 
other." 

"Dear  Daddy!  poor  Daddy!"  cried  the  child,  putting 
her  little  hands  up  to  the  weather-beaten  face,  and  drawing 
it  down  to  hers.  "  Don't  talk  about  that  dreadful  part. 
Go  on  to  the  next ! " 

"  Ko,  I  won't  talk  about  it,  Star  Bright ! "  said  the  old 
man,  very  gravely.  "  Fust  place  I  can't,  and  second  place  it 
ain't  fit  for  little  maids  to  hear  of.  But  I  lived  on  that  island 
fifteen  year,  —  five  year  with  my  good  mate  Job  Hotham, 
and  ten  year  alone,  after  Job  died.  When  a  ship  kem  by, 
after  that,  and  took  me  off,  I'd  forgot  most  everything,  and 
was  partly  like  the  beasts  that  perish  :  but  it  kem  back  to 


THE   STOEY.  lo 

me.  Slow,  like,  and  by  fits,  as  you  may  say ;  but  it  kem 
back,  all  there  was  before,  and  maybe  a  good  bit  more  ! " 

"  Poor  Daddy  !  "  murmured  the  child  again,  pressing  her 
soft  cheek  against  the  white  beard.  "  It's  all  over  now ! 
Don't  think  of  it !  I  am  here,  Daddy,  loving  you :  loving 
you  all  tojrieces,  you  know  !  " 

The  old  man  was  silent  for  a  few  minutes,  caressing  the 
little  white  hands  which  lay  like  twin  snowflakes  in  his 
broad,  brown  palm.  Then  he  resumed  cheerfully  :  — 

"And  so,  Cream  Cheese  from  the  dairy  of  Heaven,  I 
kem  home.  Your  old  Daddy  kem  home,  and  landed  on  the 
same  wharf  he'd  sailed  from  twenty-five  years  before.  Not 
direct,  you  understand,  but  takin'  steamer  from  New  York, 
and  so  on.  Wai,  there  wa'n't  nobody  that  knew  me,  or 
cared  for  me.  Father  was  dead,  and  his  wife  :  and  their 
children,  as  weren't  born  when  I  sailed  from  home,  were 
growed  up  and  gene  away.  No,  there  wa'n't  nobody.  Wai, 
I  tried  for  a  spell  to  settle  down  and  live  like  other  folks, 
but  'twa'n't  no  use.  I  wasn't  used  to  the  life,  and  I  couldn't 
stand  it.  For  ten  years  I  hadn't  heard  the  sound  of  a 
human  voice,  and  now  they  was  buzz,  buzzin'  all  the  time ; 
it  seemed  as  if  there  was  a  swarm  of  wasps  round  my  ears 
'the  everlastin'  day.  Buzz  !  buzz  !  and  then  clack !  clack ! 
like  an  everlasting  mill-clapper ;  and  folks  starin'  at  my 
brown  face  and  white  hair,  and  askin7  me  foolish  questions. 
I  couldn't  stand  it,  that  was  all.  I  heard  that  a  light- 
keeper  was  wanted  here,  and  I  asked  for  the  place,  and  got 
it.  And  that's  all  of  the  fust  part,  Peach  Blossom." 

The  child  drew  a  long  breath,  and  her  face  glowed  with 
eager  anticipation.  "And  now,  Daddy  Captain/7  she  said, 
"now  you  may  say,  'Ten  year  ago  this  fall ! '  " 

"  Ten  year  ago  this  fall,"  said  the  Captain,  meekly  acqui- 


16  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

escing,  "on  the  fourteenth  day  of  September,  as  ever  was,  T 
looks  out  from  the  tower,  bein'  a-fillin'  of  the  lamps,  and 
says  I,  < There's  a  storm  comin' ! '  So  I  made  all  taut  above 
and  below,  and  fastened  the  door,  and  took  my  glass  and 
went  out  on  the  rocks,  to  see  how  things  looked.  Wai,  they 
looked  pooty  bad.  There  had  been  a  heavy  sea  on  for  a 
couple  o'  days,  and  the  clouds  that  was  comin'  up  didirt 
look  as  if  they  was  goin'  to  smooth  it  down  any.  There 
was  a  kind  oj  brassy  look  over  everything  and  when  the 
wind  began  to  rise,  it  warn't  with  no  nat'ral  sound,  but  a 
kind  of  screech  to  it,  on'arthly  like.  Wai,  thar !  the  wind 
did  rise,  and  it  riz  to  stay.  In  half  an  hour  it  was  blowin'  half 
a  gale ;  in  an  hour  it  blew  a  gale,  and  as  tough  a  one  (barrin* 
cyclones)  as  ever  I  see.  'T  had  like  to  ha'  blow  me  off  my 
pins,  half  a  dozen  times.  Then  nat'rally  the  sea  kem  up; 
and  'twas  all  creation  on  them  rocks,  now  I  tell  ye.  '  The 
sea,  mountin'  to  the  welkin's  cheek ' ;  ye  remember,  Pigeon 
Pie  ?  » 

The  child  nodded  eagerly.  li  Tempest ! "  she  said,  "  Act  I, 
Scene  2  :  '  Enter  Prospero  and  Miranda.'  Go  on,  Daddy ! " 

"  Wai,  my  Lily  Flower,"  continued  the  old  man.  "  And 
the  storm  went  on.  It  roared,  it  bellowed,  and  it  screeched : 
it  thumped  and  it  kerwhalloped.  The  great  seas  would 
come  bunt  up  agin  the  rocks,  as  if  they  was  bound  to  go 
right  through  to  Jersey  City,  which  they  used  to  say  was 
the  end  of  the  world.  Then  they'd  go  scoopin'  back,  as  if 
they  was  calliii'  all  their  friends  and  neighbors  to  help ;  and 
then,  bang !  they'd  come  at  it  agin.  The  spray  was  flyin' 
in  great  white  sheets,  and  whiles,  it  seemed  as  if  the  hull 
island  was  goin'  to  be  swallowed  up  then  and  thar.  'Tain't 
nothin'  but  a  little  heap  o'  rocks,  anyhow,  to  face  the  hull 
Atlantic  Ocean  gone  mad :  and  on  that  heap  o'  rocks  was 


THE   STORY.  17 

Januarius  Judkins,  holdin'  on  for  dear  life,  and  feelin'  like 
a  hoppergrass  that  had  got  lost  in  Niag'ry  Falls/' 

"  Don't  say  that  name,  Daddy ! "  interrupted  the  child. 
"  You  know  I  don't  like  it.  Say  '  Captain  January ' ! " 

"I  tell  ye,  Honeysuckle,"  said  the  old  man.  "  I  felt  more 
like  a  sea-cook  than  a  cap'n  that  night.  A  cap'n  on  a  quarter 
deck's  a  good  thing ;  but  a  cap'n  on  a  pint  o'  rock,  out  to 
sea  in  a  northeast  gale,  might  just  as  well  be  a  fo'c'sle  hand 
and  done  with  it.  Wai,  as  I  was  holdin'  on  thar,  I  seed  a 
flash  to  windward,  as  wasn't  lightning;  and  next  minute 
kem  a  sound  as  wasn't  thunder  nor  yet  wind  nor  sea." 

"  The  guns !  the  guns ! "  cried  the  child,  in  great  excite 
ment.  "  The  guns  of  my  poor  mamma's  ship.  And  then 
you  heard  them  again,  Daddy  ?  " 

"  Then  I  heard  them  agin ! "  the  old  man  assented.  "  And 
agin !  a  flash,  and  a  boom  !  and  then  in  a  minute  again,  a 
flash  and  a  boom !  £  Oh,  Lord  ! '  says  I.  *  Take  her  by  to  the 
mainland,  and  put  her  ashore  there ! '  I  says ;  cause  there's 
a  life-saving  station  thar,  ye  know,  Blossom,  and  there 
might  be  some  chance  for  them  as  were  in  her.  But  the 
Lord  had  His  views,  my  dear,  the  Lord  had  His  views ! 
Amen  !  so  be  it !  In  another  minute  there  kem  a  break  in 
the  clouds,  and  thar  she  was,  comin'  full  head  on,  straight  for 
Light  Island.  Oh !  my  little  Star,  that  was  an  awful  thing 
to  see.  And  I  couldn't  do  nothin',  you  understand.  Xot  a 
livin'  airthly  thing  could  I  do.  'cept  hide  my  face  agin  the 
rock  I  was  clingiir  to,  and  say,  '  Dear  Lord,  take  'em  easy ! 
It's  Thy  will  as  they  should  be  took,'  I  says,  'and  there 
ain't  no  one  to  hender,  if  so  be  as  they  could.  But  take  'era 
easy,  good  Lord,  and  take  'em  suddin  ! ' " 

"And  He  did!"  cried  the  child.  "The  good  Lord  did 
take  'em  sudden,  didn't  He,  Daddy  Captain  ?" 


18  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

"  He  did,  my  child ! "  said  the  old  man,  solemnly.  "  They 
was  all  home,  them  that  was  goin',  in  ten  minutes  from  the 
time  I  saw  the  ship.  You  know  the  Boarin'  Bull,  as  sticks 
his  horns  out  o'  water  just  to  windward  of  us  ?  the  ciuelest 
rock  on  the  coast,  he  is,  and  the  treacherousest :  and  the 
ship  struck  him  full  and  fair  on  the  starboard  quarter,  and 
in  ten  minutes  she  was  kindlin'  wood,  as  ye  may  say.  The 
Lord  rest  their  souls  as  went  down  in  her  I  Amen ! " 

"Amen!"  said  little  Star,  softly.  But  she  added  in  an 
eager  tone,  "  And  now,  Daddy,  you  are  coming  to  me !  " 

"  Pooty  soon,  Jewel  Bright !  "  said  the  old  man,  stroking 
the  gold  hair  tenderly.  "I'm  a-comin'  to  you  pooty  soon. 
'Twas  along  about  eight  bells  when  she  struck,  and  none  so 
dark,  for  the  moon  had  risen.  After  the  ship  had  gone 
down,  I  strained  my  eyes  through  the  driving  spray,  to  see 
whether  anything  was  comin'  ashore.  Presently  I  seed 
somethin'  black,  drift  in'  towards  the  rocks:  and  lo  ye, 
'twas  a  boat,  bottom  side  up,  and  all  hands  gone  down. 
Wai !  wal !  the  Lord  knew  what  was  right :  but  it's  wuss  by 
a  deal  to  see  them  things  than  to  be  in  'em  yourself,  to  my 
thinkin'.  Wal,  after  a  spell  I  looked  agin,  and  there  was 
somethin'  else  a-driftin'  looked  like  a  spar,  it  did:  and 
somethin'  was  lashed  to  it.  My  heart !  'twas  tossed  about 
like  a  egg-shell,  up  and  down,  and  here  and  thar !  'Twas 
white,  whatever  was  lashed  to  it,  and  I  couldn't  take  my 
eyes  off'n  it.  "  It  can't  be  alive ! "  I  says.  '  Whatever  it 
is/  I  says.  '  But  I'll  get  it,  if  it  takes  a  leg ! ?  I  says.  For 
down  in  my  heart,  Jewel,  I  knew  they  wouldn't  ha'  taken 
such  care  of  any  thin'  but  what  was  alive,  and  they  perishin', 
but  I  didn't  think  it  could  live  in  such  a  sea  long  enough  to 
get  ashore.  Wal,  I  kep'  my  eyes  on  that  spar,  and  I  see 
that  it  'twas  comin'  along  by  the  south  side.  Then  I  ran, 


THE   STORY.  19 

or  crawled,  'cording  as  the  wind  allowed  me,  back  to  the 
shed,  and  got  a  boat-hook  and  a  coil  o'  rope  ;  and  then  I 
clumb  down  as  far  as  I  dared,  on  the  south  rocks.  I 
scooched  down  under  the  lee  of  a  pint  o'  rock,  and  made  the 
rope  fast  round  my  waist,  and  the  other  end  round  the  rock, 
and  then  I  waited  for  the  spar  to  come  along.  'Twas  hard 
to  make  out  anythin',  for  the  water  was  all  a  white,  bilin' 
churn,  and  the  spray  fly  in'  fit  to  blind  you;  but  bimeby  I 
co't  sight  of  her  comiii'  swashin'  along,  now  up  on  top  of  a 
big  roarer,  and  then  scootin'  down  into  the  holler,  and  then 
up  agin.  I  crep'  out  on  the  rocks,  grippin'  'em  for  all  I 
was  wuth,  with  the  boat-hook  under  my  arm.  The  wind 
schreeched  and  clawed  at  me  like  a  wildcat  in  a  caniption 
fit,  but  I  hadn't  been  through  those  cyclones  for  nothin'. 
I  lay  down  fiat  and  wriggled  myself  out  to  the  edge,  and 
thar  I  waited." 

"  And  the  waves  were  breaking  over  you  all  the  time  ?  " 
cried  the  child,  with  eager  inquiry. 

"  Wai,  they  was  that,  Honeysuckle  ! "  said  the  Captain. 
"  Bless  ye,  I  sh'd  ha'  been  washed  off  like  a  log  if  't  hadn't 
ben  for  the  rope.  But  that  held ;  'twas  a  good  one,  and  tied 
with  a  bowline,  and  it  held.  Wai,  I  lay  thar,  and  all  to 
wunst  I  see  her  comin'  by  like  a  flash,  close  to  me.  i  Now  ! ' 
says  I,  '  ef  ther's  any  stuff  in  you,  J.  Judkins,  let's  see  it ! ' 
says  I.  And  I  chucks  myself  over  the  side  o'  the  rock  and 
grabs  her  with  the  boat-hook,  and  hauls  her  in.  <  All  to 
gether/  I  says.  '  Now,  my  hearties  !  Yo  heave  ho  ! '  and  I 
hed  her  up,  and  hauled  her  over  the  rocks  and  round  under 
the  lee  of  the  p'int,  before  I  stopped  to  breathe.  How  did 
I  do  it  ?  Don't  ask  me,  Jewel  Bright !  I  don't  know  how 
I  did  it.  There's  times  when  a  man  has  strength  given  to 
him,  eeemm'ly,  over  and  above  human  strength.  'Twas  like 


<20  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

as  if  the  Lord  ketched  holt  and  helped  me  :  maybe  He  did, 
seein'  what  'twas  I  was  doing.  Maybe  He  did ! "  He  paused 
a  moment  in  thought,  but  Star  was  impatient. 

"Well,  Daddy!"  she  cried.  "And  then  you  looked  and 
found  it  was  —  go  on,  Daddy  dear ! " 

"  I  looked/7  continued  the  old  man,  "  and  I  found  it  was  a 
sail,  that  had  showed  so  white  against  the  spar ;  a  sail,  wrapped 
tight  round  somethin'.  I  cut  the  ropes,  and  pulled  away 
the  canvas  and  a  tarpaulin  that  was  inside  that ;  and  thar  I 
seed—" 

"My  poor  mamma  and  me!"  cried  the  child,  joyously, 
clapping  her  hands.  "0  Daddy  Captain,  it  is  so  delight 
ful  when  you  come  to  this  part.  And  my  poor  mamma  was 
dead?  You  are  quite  positively  sure  that  she  was  dead, 
Daddy  ? " 

"  She  were,  my  lamb ! "  replied  the  Captain,  gravely. 
"  You  needn't  never  have  no  doubt  about  it.  She  had  had 
a  blow  on  the  head,  your  poor  ma  had,  from  one  o'  the  bull's 
horns,  likely ;  and  I'll  warrant  she  never  knowed  anythiii' 
after  it,  poor  lady !  She  was  wrapped  in  a  great  fur  cloak, 
the  same  as  you  have  on  your  bed  in  winter,  Blossom :  and 
lyin'  all  clost  and  warm  in  her  cold  arms,  that  held  on  stilL 
though  the  life  was  gone  out  of  'em,  was  "  —  the  old  man 
faltered,  and  brushed  his  rough  hand  across  his  eyes  —  "  was 
a  —  a  little  baby.  Asleep,  it  seemed  to  be,  all  curled  up 
like  a  rose  on  its  mother's  breast,  and  its  pooty  eyes  tight 
shut.  I  loosed  the  poor  arms  —  they  was  like  a  stattoo's, 
so  round  and  white  and  cold ;  and  I  took  the  child  up  in  my 
arms  ;  and  lo'  ye  !  it  opened  its  eyes  and  looked  straight  at 
me  and  laughed." 

"And  it  said,  Daddy?"  cried  the  delighted  child,  clap 
ping  her  hands.  "  Tell  wha'~  it  said ! " 


THE    STORY.  21 

"  It  said  <  'Tar/  "  the  old  man  continued,  in  a  hushed  voice. 
u  '  'Tar/  it  said  as  plain  as  I  say  it  to  you.  '  And  "  Star  " 
it  is  ! '  says  I ;  ( for  if  ever  a  star  shone  on  a  dark  night,  it's 
you,  my  pooty/  I  says.  '  Praise  the  Lord/  I  says.  '  Amen, 
so  be  it.'  Then  I  laid  your  poor  ma  in  a  corner,  under  the 
lee  of  the  big  rock,  where  the  spray  Avouldn't  fly  over  her, 
and  I  covered  her  with  the  sail ;  and  then  I  took  the  fur 
cloak,  seein'  the  baby  needed  it  and  she  didn't,  and  wrapped 
it  round  the  little  un,  and  clumb  back  over  the  rocks,  up  to 
the  house.  And  so,  Honeysuckle  —  " 

"And  so,"  cried  the  child,  taking  his  two  great  hands 
and  putting  them  softly  together,  "so  I  came  to  be  your 
little  Star ! " 

"  To  be  my  little  Star !  "  assented  the  old  man,  stooping 
to  kiss  the  golden  head. 

"  Your  light  and  your  joy  !  "  exclaimed  the  child,  laugh 
ing  with  pleasure. 

"My  light  and  my  joy  ! "  said  the  old  man,  solemnly.  "  A 
light  from  heaven  to  shine  in  a  dark  place,  and  the  Lord's 
message  to  a  sinful  man." 

He  was  silent  for  a  little,  looking,  earnestly  into  the 
child's  radiant  face.  Presently,  "  You've  been  happy,  Star 
Bright  ?  "  he  asked.  "  You  haven't  missed  nothin'  ?  " 

Star  opened  wide  eyes  of  surprise  at  him.  "  Of  course 
I've  been  happy  !  "  she  said.  "  Why  shouldn't  I  be  ?  " 

"  You  ain't  —  I  mean  you  haven't  mourned  for  your  poor 
ma,  have  ye,  Jewel  ?  "  He  was  still  looking  curiously  at 
her,  and  his  look  puzzled  her. 

"  No,"  she  said,  after  a  pause.  "  Of  course  not.  I  never 
knew  my  poor  mamma.  Why  should  I  mourn  for  her  ?  She 
is  in  heaven,  and  I  am  very  glad.  You  say  heaven  is  much 
nicer  than  here,  so  it  must  be  pleasanter  for  my  poor  mamma; 


22  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

and  I  don't  need  her,  because  I  have  you,  Daddy.  But  go 
on,  now,  please,  Daddy  dear.  '  Next  day  '  —  " 

"Next  day,"  resumed  the  obedient  Captain,  "the  sky  was 
bright  and  clear,  and  only  the  heavy  sea,  and  your  poor  ma, 
and  you,  Peach  Blossom,  to  tell  what  had  happened,  so  far 
as  I  seed  at  fust.  Bimeby,  when  I  went  out  to  look,  I  found 
other  things." 

"  My  poor  papa ! "  said  Star,  with  an  air  of  great  satisfac 
tion. 

The  Captain  nodded.  "  Yer  poor  pa,"  he  said,  "  and  two 
others  with  him.  How  did  I  know  he  was  your  poor  pa  ? 
Along  of  his  havin'  your  poor  ma's  pictur  hung  round  his 
neck.  And  a  fine-lookiii'  man  he  was,  to  be  sure  ! " 

"And  his  name  was  <H.  M.' !"  cried  the  child,  eagerly. 

"  Them  was  the  letters  of  it ! "  assented  the  Captain. 
"Worked  on  his  shirt  and  hank'cher,  so  fine  as  ever  was. 
Well,  Jewel  Bright,  when  I  seed  all  this,  I  says,  '  January/ 
says  I,  '  here's  Christian  corpses,  and  they  must  have 
Christian  burial ! '  I  says.  So  I  brought  'em  all  up  to  the 
house,  and  laid  'em  comfortable ;  and  then  I  gave  you  a 
good  drink  of  warm  milk  (you'd  been  sleepin'  like  a  little 
angil,  and  only  waked  up  to  smile  and  crow  and  say  "Tar ! '), 
and  gave  you  a  bright  spoon  to  play  with ;  and  then  I  rowed 
over  to  shore  to  fetch  the  minister  and  the  crowner,  and 
everybody  else  as  was  proper.  You  don't  care  about  this 
part,  Honeysuckle,  and  you  ain't  no  need  to.  but  everything 
was  done  decent  and  Christian,  and  your  parents  and  the 
other  two  laid  peaceful  under  the  big  pine-tree.  Then 
the  minister,  when  'twas  all  done,  he  says  to  me,  '  And  now, 
my  friend,'  he  says,  'I'll  relieve  you  of  the  child,  as  would 
be  a  care  to  you,  and  I  can  find  some  one  to  take  charge  of 
it!'  he  says.  'Meanin'  no  disrespect,  Minister,' 1  says, 


THE    STORY.  23 

'don't  think  it !  The  Lord  has  His  views,  you'll  allow,  most 
times,  and  He  had  'em  when  He  sent  the  child  here.  He 
could  have  sent  her  ashore  by  the  station  jest  as  easy,'  I 
says,  '  if  so  be't  had  seemed  best ;  but  He  sent  her  to  me,'  I 
says,  'and  I'll  keep  her.'  'But  how  can  you  bring  up  a 
child  ? '  he  says,  '  alone,  here  on  a  rock  in  the  ocean  ? '  he 
says.  '  I've  been  thinking  that  over,  Minister,'  I  says,  '  ever 
since  I  holt  that  little  un  in  my  arms,  takin'  her  from  her 
dead  mother's  breast,'  I  says ;  '  and  I  can't  see  that  there's 
more  than  three  things  needed  to  bring  up  a  child, — the 
Lord's  help,  common  sense,  and  a  cow.  The  last  two  I  hev, 
and  the  fust  is  likely  to  be  round  when  a  man  asks  for  it ! ' 
I  says.  So  then  we  shakes  hands,  and  he  doesn't  say  noth- 
in'  more,  'cept  to  pray  a  blessin'  for  me  and  for  the  child. 
And  the  blessin'  kem,  and  the  blessin'  stayed,  Star  Bright ; 
and  there's  the  end  of  the  story,  my  maid. 

"  And  now  it's  time  these  two  eyes  were  shut,  and  only 
the  top  star  shinin'  in  the  old  tower.  Good  night,  Jewel! 
Good  night,  and  God  bless  you ! " 


CHAPTER  III. 

INTRODUCING   IMOGEN   AND  BOB. 

"TMOGEN!"  said  Star,  looking  up  from  her  book,  "J 
J-  don't  believe  you  have  been  listening ! " 

Imogen  looked  up  meekly,  but  made  no  attempt  to  deny 
the  charge. 

"  You  must  listen ! "  said  the  child,  sternly.  "  First  place, 
it's  beautiful :  and  besides,  it's  very  rude  not  to  listen  when 
people  reads.  And  you  ought  not  to  be  rude,  Imogen ! " 
After  which  short  lecture,  Star  turned  to  her  book  again,  — 
a  great  book  it  was,  lying  open  on  the  little  pink  calico  lap, 
—  and  went  on  reading,  in  her  clear  childish  voice :  — 

"  *  Over  hill,  over  dale, 

Thorough  bush,  thorough  brier, 
Over  park,  over  pale, 

Thorough  flood,  thorough  fire, 
I  do  wander  everywhere, 
Swifter  than  the  moony  sphere ; 
And  I  serve  the  fairy  queen, 
To  dew  her  orbs  upon  the  green ' :  — 

Do  you  know  what  a  fairy  is,  Imogen  ?  "  asked  Star,  look 
ing  up  again  suddenly. 

But  this  time  it  was  very  evident  that  Imogen  (who  was, 
in  truth,  a  large  white  cow,  with  a  bell  round  her  neck) 
was  paying  no  attention  whatever  to  the  reading ;  for  she 
had  fairly  turned  her  back,  and  was  leisurely  cropping  the 

24 


IMOGEN  AND  BOB.  25 

short  grass,  swaying  her  tail  in  a  comfortable  and  reflective 
manner  the  while. 

Star  sprang  to  her  feet,  and,  seizing  the  delinquent's 
horns,  shook  them  with  all  her  might. 

"  How  dare  you  turn  your  back  when  I  am  reading ! " 
she  cried.  "  I'm  just  ashamed  of  you !  You're  a  disgrace 
to  me,  Imogen.  Why,  you're  as  ignorant  as  a  —  as  —  as  a 
lobster !  and  you  a  great  cow  with  four  whole  legs.  A  — • 
a  —  ah  !  shame  on  you  !  " 

Imogen  rubbed  her  head  deprecatingly  against  the  small 
pink  shoulder,  and  uttered  a  soft  and  apologetic  "  moo " ; 
but  Star  was  not  ready  to  be  mollified  yet. 

"  And  you  know  it's  my  own  book,  too  ! "  she  continued, 
reproachfully.  "  My  own  Willum  Shakespeare,  that  I  love 
more  —  well,  no !  not  more  than  I  love  you,  Imogen,  but 
just  as  much,  and  almost  nearly  half  as  much  as  I  love 
Daddy  Captain. 

"  But  after  all,"  she  added,  with  a  smile  flitting  over  her 
frowning  little  face,  "after  all,  you  poor  dear,  you  are 
only  a  cow,  and  I  don't  suppose  you  know."  And  then  she 
hugged  Imogen,  and  blew  a  little  into  one  of  her  ears,  to 
make  her  wink  it,  and  the  -two  were  very  friendly  again. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  know,  Imogen,"  said  Star,  confi 
dentially,  seating  herself  once  more  on  the  ground,  "  why  I 
am  so  fond  of  Willum  Shakespeare.  So  I  will  tell  you.  It 
is  really  part  of  my  story,  but  Daddy  Captain  didn't  get  as 
far  as  that  last  night,  so  I  think  I  will  tell  it  to  you. 
Well ! "  she  drew  a  long  breath  of  enjoyment,  and,  clasping 
her  hands  round  her  knees,  settled  herself  for  a  "  good 
talk." 

"  Well,  Imogen :  you  see,  at  first  I  was  a  little  baby,  and 
didn't  know  anything  at  all.  But  by  and  bv  I  began  to 


26  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

groAV  big,  and  then  Daddy  Captain  said  to  himself,  '  Here's 
a  child/  he  says,  'and  a  child  of  gentlefolks,  and  she 
mustn't  grow  up  in  ignorance,  and  me  doing  my  duty  by  her 
poor  pa  and  ma/  he  says.  So  he  rows  over  to  the  town, 
and  he  goes  to  the  minister  (the  same  minister  who  came 
over  here  before),  and  he  says,  'Good  morning,  Minister!1 
and  the  minister  shakes  him  by  the  hand  hearty,  and  says, 
'  Why,  Captain  January  ! '  he  says,  '  I'm  amazing  glad  to  see 
you.  And  how  is  the  child  ?  '  And  Daddy  says,  '  The 
child  is  a-growing  with  the  flowers/  he  says ;  '  and  she's 
a-growing  like  the  flowers.  Show  me  a  rose  that's  as  sweet 
and  as  well  growed  as  that  child/  he  says,  'and  I'll  give 
you  my  head,  Minister.'  That's  the  way  Daddy  talks,  you 
know,  Imogen.  And  then  he  told  the  minister  how  he 
didn't  want  the  child  (that  was  me,  of  course)  to  grow  up 
in  ignorance,  and  how  he  wanted  to  teach  me.  And  the 
minister  asked  him  was  he  qualified  to  teach.  'Not  yet, 
I  ain't ! '  says  Daddy  Captain,  '  but  I'm  a-going  to  be.  I 
want  a  book,  or  maybe  a  couple  of  books,  that'll  edicate  me 
in  a  manner  all  round  ! '  he  says.  '  I  couldn't  do  with  a  lot 
of  'em/  he  says,  '  cause  I  ain't  used  to  it,  and  it  makes 
things  go  round  inside  my  head.  But  I  think  I  could  tackle 
two,  if  they  was  fustrate/  he  says.  The  minister  laughed, 
and  told  Daddy  he  wanted  a  good  deal.  Then  he  asked  him 
if  he  had  the  Good  Book.  That's  the  Bible,  you  know, 
Imogen.  Daddy  Captain  won't  let  me  read  that  to  you, 
because  you  are  a  beast  that  perish.  Poor  dear ! "  she  leaned 
forward  and  kissed  Imogen's  pink  nose.  "  And  Daddy  said  of 
course  he  had  that,  only  the  letters  weren't  so  clear  as  they 
used  to  be,  somehow,  perhaps  along  of  getting  wet  in  his 
weskit  pocket,  being  he  carried  it  along  always.  So  the 
minister  gave  him  a  neiv  big  BEAUTIFUL  Bible,  Imogen !  It 


IMOGEN  AND   BOB.  27 

isn't  so  new  now,  but  it's  just  as  "big  and  beautiful,  and  I 
love  it.  And  then  he  thought  for  a  long  time,  the  minister 
did,  walking  about  the  room  and  looking  at  all  the  books. 
The  whole  room  was  full  of  books,  Daddy  says,  all  on 
shelves,  'cept  some  on  the  floor  and  the  table  and  the  chairs. 
It  made  his  head  go  round  dreadful  to  see  them  all,  Daddy 
says  (I  mean  Daddy's  head),  and  think  of  anybody  reading 
them.  He  says  he  doesn't  see  how  in  creation  the  minister 
manages  to  keep  his  bearings,  and  look  out  for  a  change  in 
the  wind,  and  things  that  have  to  be  done,  and  read  all  those 
books  too.  Well!"  she  kissed  Imogen's  nose  again,  from 
sheer  enjoyment,  and  threw  her  head  back  with  a  laugh  of 
delight.  "  I'm  coming  to  it  now,  Imogen  ! "  she  cried.  "  At 
last  the  minister  took  down  a  big  book  —  On  !  you  precious 
old  thing,  how  I  love  you  ! "  (this  apostrophe  was  addressed 
to  the  quarto  volume  which  she  was  now  hugging  raptur 
ously),  "and  said,  'Well,  Captain  January,  here's  the  best 
book  in  the  world,  next  to  the  Good  Book ! '  he  says. 
'You'll  take  this,'  he  says,  <as  my  gift  to  you  and  the 
child !  and  with  these  two  books  to  guide  you,  the  child's 
edication  won't  go  far  wrong  ! '  he  says,  and  then  he  gave 
Daddy  the  dictionary  too,  Imogen ;  but  I  shan't  tell  you 
about  that,  because  it's  a  brute,  and  I  hate  and  'spise  it. 
But  —  well !  so,  you  see,  that  was  the  way  I  got  my  Willum 
Shakespeare,  my  joy  and  my  pride,  my  —  " 

At  this  moment  a  shadow  fell  upon  the  grass,  and  a  deep, 
gruff  voice  was  heard,  saying,  "  Star,  ahoy  !  "  The  child 
started  up,  and  turned  to  meet  the  new-comer  with  a  joy 
ous  smile.  "  Why,  Bob  ! "  she  cried,  seizing  one  of  his 
hands  in  both  of  hers,  and  dancing  round  and  round  him. 
"  Where  did  you  come  from  ?  Why  aren't  you  on  the 
boat  ?  " 


28  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

"  Boat's  aground ! "  replied  the  person  addressed  as  Bob. 
He  spoke  in  short,  jerky  sentences.  He  was  dressed  as  a 
seafaring  man;  had  wide,  helpless-looking  brown  eyes,  an 
apologetic  smile,  and  a  bass  voice  of  appalling  depth  and 
power.  "Boat's  aground,"  he  repeated,  seating  himself  on 
the  grass  and  looking  about  for  a  stem  of  grass  long  enough 
to  put  in  his  mouth.  "  Hard  and  fast.  Waiting  for  tide  to 
turn ;  thought  I'd  come,  pass  time  o'  day." 

"And  how  came  you  to  run  her  aground?"  inquired  the 
child,  severely.  "  A  pretty  pilot  you  are !  Why,  I  could 
steer  her  myself  better  than  that." 

u  Fog !"  replied  the  man,  in  a  meek  and  muffled  roar. 
Then  finding  a  bit  of  sorrel,  he  fell  upon  it  with  avidity, 
and  seemed  to  think  he  had  said  enough. 

"  H'm  ! "  said  Star,  with  a  disdainful  little  sniff.  "  You'd 
better  get  Daddy  to  steer  your  boat.  He  doesn't  mind  fog. 
Are  there  many  people  on  board  ?  "  she  added,  with  an  air 
of  interest. 

"  Heaps  ! "  replied  Bob,  succinctly.  Then,  after  a  pause 
of  meditative  chewing :  "  Like  to  go  aboard  ?  take  ye  —  boat 
—  Cap'n  willin'." 

"  No,  I  don't  want  to  go  aboard,  thank  you  !  "  said  Star. 
"I  don't  like  people.  But  you  might  just  row  me  round 
her  once,  Bob,"  she  added.  "  I  think  I  should  like  that.  But 
we  must  wait  till  Daddy  comes,  of  course." 

"  Cap'n  round  ?  "  inquired  Bob. 

"  He's  setting  the  lobster-pots,"  replied  the  child.  "  He'll 
be  back  soon.  Bob,"  she  added  irrelevantly  a  moment 
after,  "I  never  noticed  before  that  you  looked  like  Imogen. 
Why,  you  are  the  very  image  of  her,  Bob !  Your  eyes  and 
your  expression  are  exactly  the  same." 

Bob  raised  his  eyes  and  surveyed  Imogen  with  a  critical 


IMOGEN  AND   BOB.  29 

air.  "  Fine  cow ! "  he  said  at  last.  "  D'no's  I  mind  -^i  she 
doosn't." 

"  Isn't  she  a  fine  cow  ! "  cried  little  Star,  patting  the  meek 
and  graceful  head  of  her  favorite.  "I  don't  believe  there's 
another  such  cow  in  the  world.  I  know  there  isn't !  I 
think,"  she  added,  "I  will  take  a  little  ride  on  her,  while 
we  are  waiting  for  Daddy  Captain.  Will  you  put  me  up, 
please,  Bob  ?  " 

The  obedient  Bob  lifted  her  as  if  she  were  a  ball  of 
thistle-down,  and  set  her  on  the  broad  back  of  the  good 
cow,  who  straightway  began  to  pace  sedately  along  the  bit 
of  meadow,  following  the  guidance  of  the  small  hands  which 
clasped  her  horns.  Ah  !  who  will  paint  me  that  picture,  as 
my  mind's  eye  sees  it  ?  The  blue  of  sky  and  sea,  the  ripples 
breaking  in  silver  on  silver  sand,  the  jewelled  green,  where 
the  late  dandelions  necked  the  grass  with  gold :  and  in  the 
midst  the  lovely,  laughing  child,  mounted  on  the  white  cow, 
tossing  her  cloudy  golden  hair,  and  looking  back  with  eyes 
of  delight  toward  her  companion. 

The  beauty  of  it  all  filled  the  eyes  and  the  heart  of 
Captain  January,  as  he  came  up  among  the  rocks.  He 
paused,  and  stood  for  some  time  in  silence,  watching  the 
little  well-beloved  figure.  "  Wall !  "  he  said,  "  if  that  ain't 
one  of  the  young-eyed  cherubims,  then  I  never  seed  one. 
that's  all." 

At  this  moment  Star  caught  sight  of  him.  "0  Daddy," 
she  cried.  "My  Daddy  Captain,  I'm  having  such  a  fine 
ride  !  It  isn't  quite  as  high  as  a  heaven-kissing  hill,  but  it's 
a  heaven-kissing  cow,  for  Imogen  is  really  very  high.  Dear 
Daddy,  won't  you  come  and  try  it?  there's  plenty  of 
room ! " 

"  Thanky,  Peach  Blossom  !  "  said  the  Captain,  advancing, 


30  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

and  greeting  the  apologetic  Bob  with  a  hearty  shake  of  the 
hand.  "  Thanky  kindly,  but  I  don't  believe  I  will  try  it 
Bidin'  was  never,  so  to  say,  in  my  line.  I'm  stiddy  enough 
on  my  own  pins,  but  defend  me  from  tryin'  to  git  about  on 
another  critter's.  And  how's  all  with  you,  Bob  ?  and  why 
aint  you  aboard  the  Huntress  ?  " 

Bob  in  the  fewest  possible  words  related  the  mishap 
which  had  befallen  the  boat,  and  asked  if  he  might  take 
Missy  out  to  see  her. 

"  To  be  sure  !  to  be  sure  ! "  said  Captain  January.  "  That'll 
be  a  nice  trip  for  ye,  Honeysuckle.  Put  on  your  bunnit 
and  go  with  Bob.  He'll  take  good  care  of  ye,  Bob  will." 

And  so,  by  what  seemed  the  merest  chance,  that  lovely 
afternoon,  little  Star  went  with  Bob  Peet,  in  his  old  black 
boat,  to  see  the  steamer  Huntress  aground  011  a  sand-bank 
)ff  the  main  shore. 

The  sea  lay  all  shining  and  dimpling  in  the  afternoon 
light,  and  not  a  cloud  was  to  be  seen  overhead.  Here  and 
there  a  white  gull  was  slowly  waving  his  wings  through 
the  clear  air,  and  little  fish  came  popping  their  heads  out  of 
the  water,  just  for  the  pleasure  of  popping  them  back  again. 
Star  dipped  her  hands  in  the  blue  crystal  below,  and  sang 
little  snatches  of  song,  being  light  of  heart  and  without  a 
care  in  the  world.  They  were  no  nursery  songs  that  she 
sang,  for  she  considered  herself  to  have  outgrown  the  very 
few  Mother  Goose  ditties  which  Captain  January  had 
treasured  in  his  mind  and  heart  ever  since  his  mother  sang 
them  to  him,  all  the  many  years  ago.  She  was  tired  of 

"Jacky  Barber's  coming  to  town: 
Clear  away,  gentlemen!   clear  away,  gentlemen/ 
One  foot  up  and  t'other  foot  down, 
.     Jacky  Barber's  coming  to  town." 


IMOGEN  AND  BOB.  31 

But  she  loved  the  scraps  of  sea-song  that  the  old  Captain 
still  hummed  over  his  work:  "Baltimore,"  and  "Blow  a 
Man  Down/'  and  half  a  dozen  other  salt-water  ditties :  and 
it  might  have  been  strange  to  less  accustomed  ears  than  Bob 
Feet's  to  hear  the  sweet  child-voice  carolling  merrily  :  — 

"Boney  was  a  warrior, 
Weigh  !  heigh  1  oh  1 
Boney  was  a  warrior, 
John  Francois  ! 
Boney  whipped  the  Rooshians, 
Weigh  !  heigh  !  oh  ! 
Boney  whipped  the  Prooshians, 
John  Francois  ! 
Boney  went  to  Elba, 
Weigh!  heigh!  oh!"  etc. 

Bob's  oars  kept  time  with  the  song,  and  his  portentous 
voice  thundered  out  the  refrain  with  an  energy  which 
shook  the  little  skiff  from  stem  to  stern.  By  the  time  that 
"  Boney  "  was  safely  consigned  to  his  grave  in  sunny  France, 
they  were  nearing  the  flats  on  which  the  steamer  Huntress 
lay,  quietly  awaiting  the  turn  of  the  tide. 

Star  knew  the  great  white  boat  well,  for  twice  a  day  she 
went  thundering  past  Light  Island,  churning  the  quiet  blue 
water  into  foam  with  her  huge  paddles,  on  her  way  to  and 
from  the  gay  summer  city  which  all  the  world  came  to  visit. 
Nearly  every  day  the  child  would  run  out  on  the  south  rocks 
to  wave  a  greeting  to  some  of  her  acquaintances  among  the 
crew ;  for  she  knew  them  all,  from  the  black-bearded  cap 
tain  down  to  the  tiniest  cabin-boy  ;  and  they,  for  their  part, 
were  always  eager,  —  good  souls  !  —  for  a  smile  or  a  nod  from 
the  "  Star  of  Light  Island."  Not  a  man  of  them  but  envied 
Bob  Feet  his  privilege  of  going  when  he  pleased  to  the  light- 


32  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

house  rock.  For  Captain  January  was  not  fond  of  visitors, 
and  gave  them  no  encouragement  to  come,  Bob  Peet  being 
the  single  exception  to  the  rule.  The  Captain  liked  Bob 
because  he  was  not  "  given  to  clatter,"  and  "  knew  how  to 
belay  his  jaw." 

"I  do  love  to  see  a  man  belay  his  jaw!"  said  Captain 
January,  unconsciously  quoting  the  words  of  another  and  a 
more  famous  captain,  the  beloved  David  Dodd.  So  Bob  was 
free  to  come  and  go  as  he  liked,  and  to  smoke  his  pipe  in 
sociable  silence  for  hours  at  a  time,  within  the  walls  of 
Storm  Castle. 

"  Stop  here,  Bob !  "  said  Star,  with  an  imperious  motion  of 
her  hand.  "  I  don't  want  to  go  any  nearer."  The  obedient 
Bob  lay  on  his  oars,  and  both  looked  up  at  the  great  boat, 
now  only  a  few  yards  away.  The  decks  were  crowded  with 
passengers,  who  leaned  over  the  railings,  idly  chatting,  or 
watching  the  water  to  see  if  the  tide  had  turned. 

"  Sight  o*  folks,"  said  Bob  Peet,  nodding  toward  the  after- 
deck,  which  seemed  a  solid  mass  of  human  beings. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  child,  speaking  half  to  herself,  in  a  low 
tone.  "  It's  just  like  the  Tower  of  Babel,  isn't  it  ?  I  should 
think  they  would  be  afraid.  '  And  the  Lord  scattered  them 
abroad  from  thence  upon  the  face  of  all  the  earth.'  And 
it's  so  stupid  !  "  she  added,  after  a  moment's  pause.  "  Why 
don't  they  stay  at  home  ?  Haven't  they  any  homes  to  stay 
at  ?  Who  takes  care  of  their  homes  while  they  go  sailing 
about  like  loons  ?  " 

"  Folks  likes  to  v'yage,"  said  Bob  Peet,  with  mild  tolera 
tion.  "  Heaps  —  nothin'  t'  do  —  hot  spells  —  v'yages."  He 
added,  with  an  approach  to  a  twinkle  in  his  meek  and  cow- 
like  eyes,  "  Try  it  —  some  day  —  git  tired  of  ol'  Cap'n  —  oP 
rock  —  pooty  soon — take  ye  — v'yage  —  " 


IMOGEN  AND  BOB.  33 

His  speech  was  interrupted  by  a  sudden  and  violent  dash 
of  water  in  his  face. 

"  Take  that ! "  cried  Star,  panting  with  fury,  and  flinging 
the  water  at  him  with  all  her  small  might.  "I  wish  it  was 
sharp  stones,  instead  of  just  water.  I  wish  it  was  needles, 
and  jagged  rocks,  and  quills  upon  the  fretful  porkypine,  so 
I  do  !  How  dare  you  say  such  things  to  me,  Bob  Peet  ?  How 
dare  you  ?  "  She  paused,  breathless,  but  with  flashing  eyes 
and  burning  cheeks ;  while  Bob  meekly  mopped  his  face 
and  head  with  a  red  cotton  handkerchief,  and  shook  the 
water  from  his  ears,  eying  her  the  while  with  humble  and 
deprecatory  looks. 

"No  offence,"  he  muttered,  in  apologetic  thunder-rumble. 
"  Poor  oF  Bob  —  eh,  Missy  ?  sorry,  beg  pardon  !  Never  no 
more.  Didn't  mean  it  —  nohow  ! " 

The  tempest  subsided  as  suddenly  as  it  rose,  and  Star, 
with  a  forgiving  nod,  took  out  her  own  little  handkerchief 
and  daintily  wiped  a  few  drops  from  her  victim's  forehead. 

" You're  so  stupid,  Bob/'  she  said  frankly,  "that  I  sup 
pose  I  ought  not  to  get  angry  with  you,  any  more  than  I 
would  with  Imogen,  though  even  she  provokes  me  some 
times.  So  I  forgive  you,  Bob.  But  if  you  ever  say  such  a 
thing  again  as  my  getting  tired  of  Daddy,  I'll  kill  you.  So 
now  you  know  ! " 

"  Jes'  so  !  "  assented  Bob.     "  Nat'rally  !     To  b'  sure  !  " 

The  sudden  splashing  of  the  water  had  caught  many  eyes 
on  the  deck  of  the  Huntress,  and  people  admired  the  "  play 
fulness  "  of  the  pretty  child  in  the  little  boat.  One  pair  of 
eyes,  however,  was  sharper  than  the  rest. 

"  Just  look  at  that  child,  Isabel !  "  said  a  tall,  bronzed 
gentleman  who  was  leaning  over  the  taff-rail.  "She  is  a 
perfect  little  fury !  I  never  saw  a  pair  of  eyes  flash  so. 


34  CAPTAIN  JANUAEY. 

Very  fine  eyes  they  are,  too.  A  very  beautiful  child.  Isabel ! 
why,  my  dear,  what  is  the  matter  ?  You  are  ill  —  faint ! 
let  me—" 

But  the  lady  at  his  side  pushed  his  arm  away,  and  leaned 
forward,  her  eyes  fixed  upon  Star's  face. 

"  George/'  she  said  in  a  low,  trembling  voice,  "  1  want  to 
know  who  that  child  is.  I  must  know,  George  !  Find  out 
for  me,  dear,  please  ! " 

As  she  spoke,  she  made  a  sign  towards  the  boat,  so  ear 
nest,  so  imperative,  that  it  caught  Star's  wandering  gaze. 
Their  eyes  met,  and  the  little  child  in  the  pink  calico  frocK, 
and  the  stately  lady  in  the  India  shawl,  gazed  at  each  other 
as  if  they  saw  nothing  else  in  the  world.  The  gentleman 
looked  from  one  to  the  other  in  amazement. 

"  Isabel ! "  he  whispered,  "  the  child  looks  like  you. 
What  can  this  mean  ?  " 

But  little  Star,  in  the  old  black  boat,  cried,  "Take  me 
away,  Bob  !  take  me  home  to  my  Baddy  Captain !  Quick  I 
do  you  hear  ?  " 

«  Jes'  so ! "  said  Bob  Peek     " Eat'rally  I " 


CHAPTER  IV, 

THE  VISIT,, 

A  GRAY  day  !  soft  gray  sky,  like  the  breast  ol  a  dove ; 
sheeny  gray  sea,  with  gleams  of  steel  running  across ; 
trailing  skirts  of  mist  shutting  off  the  mainland,  leaving 
Light  Island  alone  with  the  ocean;  the  white  tower 
gleaming  spectral  among  the  folding  mists ;  the  dark 
pine-tree  pointing  a  sombre  finger  to  heaven;  the  wet, 
black  rocks,  from  which  the  tide  had  gone  down,  hud 
dling  together  in  fantastic  groups  as  if  to  hide  their 
nakedness. 

On  the  little  beach  two  men  were  slowly  pacing  up  and 
down,  up  and  down,  one  silent,  the  other  talking  earnestly. 
Old  men,  both,  with  white,  reverend  hair :  one  slender  and 
small,  the  other  a  son  of  Anak,  big  and  brawny,  —  Captain 
January  and  the  minister. 

It  was  the  minister  who  had  been  speaking.  But  now  he 
had  done,  and  they  took  a  few  turns  in  silence  before  the 
Captain  spoke  in  reply. 

"Minister,"  he  said  —  and  his  voice  was  strangely  altered 
from  the  gruff,  hearty  tone  which  had  greeted  his  guest 
fifteen  minutes  before  —  "Minister,  I  ain't  a  man  that's 
used  to  hearin'  much  talk,  and  it  confuses  my  mind  a  bit. 
There's  things  inside  my  head  that  seems  to  go  round  and 
round,  sometimes,  and  put  me  out  Now,  if  it  isn't  askin' 
too  much,  I'll  git  you  to  go  over  them  p'ints  again.  Slow, 
like  !  slow,  Minister,  bearin'  in  mind  that  I'm  a  slow  man, 

35 


36  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

and  not  used  to  it.  This— this  lady,  she  come  to  your 
house  yisterday,  as  ever  was  ?  " 

"Yesterday/7  assented  the  minister;  and  his  voice  had 
a  tender,  almost  compassionate  tone,  as  if  he  were  speaking 
to  a  child. 

"And  a  fine  day  it  were ! "  said  Captain  January.  "Wind 
steady,  sou'  west  by  sou'.  Fog  in  the  mornin',  and  Bob 
Peet  run  the  Huntress  aground  on  the  bank.  I  never  liked 
fog,  Minister !  '  Give  me  a  gale/  I'd  say,  '  or  anythin'  short 
of  a  cyclone,7  I'd  say,  '  but  don't  give  me  fog ! '  and  see  now, 
how  it's  come  about !  But  it  lifted,  soon  as  the  harm  were 
donee  It  lifted,  and  as  fine  a  day  as  ever  you  see." 

The  minister  looked  at  him  in  some  alarm,  but  the  old 
man's  keen  blue  eyes  were  clear  and  intelligent,  and  met 
his  gaze  openly. 

"You're  thinkin'  I'm  crazy,  Minister,  or  maybe  drunk," 
he  said  quietly  ;  "but  I  ain't  neither  one.  I'm  on'y  takin* 
it  by  and  large.  When  a  man  has  been  fifteen  year  on  a 
desert  island,  ye  see,  he  learns  to  take  things  by  and  large. 
But  I  never  see  good  como  of  a  fog  yet.  Amen !  so  be  it ! 
And  so  Cap'n  Nazro  brought  the  lady  to  your  house,  Min 
ister  ?  " 

"Captain  Nazro  came  with  her,"  said  the  minister,  "and 
also  her  husband,  Mr.  Morton,  and  Eobert  Peet,  the  pilot. 
Mrs.  Morton  had  seen  little  Star  in  Peet's  boat,  and  was 
greatly  and  painfully  struck  by  the  child's  likeness  to  a 
beloved  sister  of  hers,  who  had,  it  was  supposed,  perished 
at  sea,  with  her  husband  and  infant  child,  some  ten  years 
ago." 

"Ten  year  ago,"  repeated  Captain  January,  passing  his 
hand  across  his  weather-beaten  face,  which  looked  older, 
somehow,  than  it  was  wont  to  do,  "  Ten  year  ago  this 


THE    VISIT.  37 

September.  'He  holdeth  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  his 
hand/  Go  on.  Minister.  The  lady  thought  my  little  Star, 
as  the  Lord  dropped  out  of  the  hollow  of  His  hand  into  my 
arms  ten  years  ago,  had  a  look  of  her  sister." 

"She  was  so  strongly  impressed  by  it,"  the  minister 
continued  quietly,  "  that,  failing  to  attract  Peet's  attention 
as  he  rowed  away,  she  sent  for  the  captain,  and  begged  him 
to  give  her  all  the  information  he  could  about  the  child. 
What  she  heard  moved  her  so  deeply  that  she  became  con 
vinced  of  the  child's  identity  with  her  sister's  lost  infant. 
As  soon  as  Peet  returned  after  putting  Star  ashore,  she 
questioned  him  even  more  closely.  He,  good  fellow,  re 
fused  to  commit  himself  to  anything  which  he  fancied  you 
might  not  like,  but  he  told  her  of  my  having  performed  the 
last  rites  over  the  mortal  remains  of  the  child's  parents,  and 
Mr.  Morton  wisely  counselled  her  to  go  at  once  to  me,  in 
stead  of  coming  here,  as  she  at  first  wished  to  do.  After  my 
interview  with  her,  I  am  bound  to  say  —  " 

"Easy  now,  Minister!"  interrupted  Captain  January. 
"  I'm  an  old  man,  though  I  never  knowed  it  till  this  day. 
Easy  with  this  part !  " 

"  I  am  bound  to  say,"  continued  the  minister,  laying  his 
hand  kindly  on  his  companion's  arm,  "  that  I  think  there  is 
little  doubt  of  Star's  being  Mrs.  Morton's  niece." 

"  And  what  if  she  be  ?  "  exclaimed  the  old  sailor,  turning 
with  a  sudden  violence  which  made  the  gentle  minister 
start  back  in  alarm.  "  What  if  she  be  ?  what  have  the 
lady  done  for  her  niece  ?  did  she  take  her  out  o'  the  sea,  as 
raged  like  all  the  devils  let  loose,  and  death  itself  a-hangin? 
round  and  fairly  howlin'  for  that  child  ?  did  she  stand  on 
that  rock,  blind  and  deef  and  e'ena'most  mazed  with  the 
beatin'  and  roarin'  and  on  earthly  screechin'  all  round,  and 


38  CAPTAIN  JANUAEY, 

take  that  child  from  its  dead  mother's  breast,  and  vow  to 
the  Lord,  as  helped  in  savin'  it,  to  do  as  should  be  done  by 
it  ?  has  she  prayed,  and  worked,  and  sweat,  and  laid  awake 
nights,  for  fear  that  child's  fingers  should  ache,  this  ten 
year  past  ?  has  she  —  "  the  old  man's  voice,  which  had  been 
ringing  out  like  a  trumpet,  broke  off  suddenly.  The  angry 
fire  died  out  of  his  blue  eyes,  and  he  bowed  his  head  humbly. 
"I  ask  yer  pardon,  Minister!"  he  said  quietly,  after  a 
pause.  "I  humbly  ask  yer  pardon.  I  had  forgotten  the 
Lord,  ye  see,  for  all  I  was  talkin*  about  Him  so  glib.  I 
was  takin'  my  view,  and  forgettin'  that  the  Lord  had  His. 
He  takes  things  by  and  large,  and  nat'rally  He  takes  'em 
larger  than  mortal  man  kin  do.  Amen  !  so  be  it ! "  He 
took  off  his  battered  hat,  and  stood  motionless  for  a  few 
moments,  with  bent  head:  nor  was  his  the  only  silent 
prayer  that  went  up  from  the  little  gray  beach  to  the  gray 
heaven  above. 

"Well,  Minister/'  he  said  presently,  in  a  calm  and  even 
cheerful  voice,  "  and  so  that  bein'  all  clear  to  your  mind,  the 
lady  have  sent  you  to  take  my  —  to  take  her  niece  —  the 
little  lady  (and  a  lady  she  were  from  her  cradle)  back  to 
her.  Is  that  the  way  it  stands  ?  " 

"  Oh,,  no  !  no  indeed  ! "  cried  the  kind  old  minister.  "  Mrs. 
Morton  would  do  nothing  so  cruel  as  that,  Captain  January. 
She  is  very  kind-hearted,  and  fully  appreciates  all  that  you 
have  done  for  the  little  girl.  But  she  naturally  wants  to 
see  the  child,  and  to  do  whatever  is  for  her  best  advantage." 

"For  the  child's  advantage.  That's  it ! "  repeated  Captain 
January.  "That's  somethin'  to  hold  on  by»  Go  on,  Minis 
ter!" 

"  So  she  begged  me  to  come  over  alone,"  continued  the 
minister,  "to — to  prepare  your  mind,  and  give  you  time  to 


THE    VISIT.  39 

think  the  matter  well  over.  And  she  and  Mr.  Morton  were 
to  follow  in  the  course  of  an  hour,  in  Robert  Feet's  boat. 
He  is  a  very  singular  fellow,  that  Peet ! "  added  the  good 
man,  shaking  his  head.  "  Do  you  think  he  is  quite  in  his 
right  mind  ?  He  has  taken  the  most  inveterate  dislike  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morton,  and  positively  refuses  to  speak  to 
either  of  them.  I  could  hardly  prevail  upon  him  to  bring 
them  over  here,  and  yet  he  fell  into  a  strange  fury  when  I 
spoke  of  getting  some  one  else  to  bring  them.  He  —  he  is 
quite  safe,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Wai,  yes  ! "  replied  Captain  January,  with  a  half  smile. 
"  Bob's  safe,  if  any  one  is.  Old  Bob !  so  he  doosn't  like 
them,  eh  ?  " 

At  that  moment  his  eye  caught  something,  and  he  said  in 
an  altered  voice,  "  Here's  Bob's  boat  coming  now,  Minister, 
and  the  lady  and  gentleman  in  her." 

"  They  must  have  come  much  more  rapidly  than  I  did/' 
said  the  minister,  "and  yet  my  boy  rows  well  enough. 
Compose  yourself,  January!  this  is  a  heavy  blow  for 
you,  my  good  friend.  Compose  yourself!  Things  are 
strangely  ordered  in  this  world.  '  We  see  through  a  glass 
darkly ' ! " 

"'Not  meanin'  to  set  my  betters  right,  Minister,"  said 
Captain  January,  "  I  never  seed  as  it  made  any  difference 
whether  a  man  seed  or  not,  darkly  or  howsumdever,  so  long 
as  the  Lord  made  His  views  clear.  And  He's  makin'  'em ! " 
he  added.  "  He's  makin'  'em,  Minister !  Amen !  so  be  it ! " 
And  quietly  and  courteously,  ten  minutes  later,  he  was 
bidding  his  visitors  welcome  to  Light  Island,  as  if  it  were  a 
kingdom,  and  he  the  crownless  monarch  of  it.  "  It's  a  poor 
place,  Lady ! "  he  said,  with  a  certain  stately  humility,  as  he 
helped  Mrs.  Morton  out  of  the  boat.  "  Good  anchorage  for 


40  CAPTAIN  JANUAEY. 

a  shipwrecked  mariner  like  me,  but  no  place  for  ladies  or  — 
or  them  as  belongs  to  ladies." 

"  0  Captain  January ! "  cried  Mrs.  Morton,  who  was  a 
tall,  fair  woman,  with  eyes  like  Star's  own.  "  What  shall  I 
say  to  you  ?  I  must  seem  to  you  so  cruel,  so  heartless,  to 
come  and  ask  for  the  child  whom  you  have  loved  and  cared 
for  so  long.  For  that  is  what  I  have  come  for !  I  must 
speak  frankly,  now  that  I  see  your  kind,  honest  face.  I 
have  come  to  take  my  sister's  child,  for  it  is  my  duty  to 
do  so."  She  laid  both  hands  on  the  old  man's  arm,  and 
looked  up  in  his  face  with  pleading,  tearful  eyes. 

But  Captain  January's  face  did  not  move  as  he  answered 
quietly,  "It  is  your  duty,  Lady.  No  question  o'  that,  to 
my  mind  or  any.  But,"  he  added,  with  a  wistful  look,  "  I'll 
ask  ye  to  do  it  easy,  Lady.  It'll  be  sudden  like  for  the  — 
for  the  young  lady.  And  —  she  ain't  used  to  bein'  took  sud 
den,  my  ways  bein'  in  a  manner  slow.  You'll  happen  find 
her  a  little  quick,  Lady,  in  her  ways,  she  bein'  used  to  a 
person  as  was  in  a  manner  slow,  and  havin'  to  be  quick  for 
two,  so  to  say.  But  it's  the  sparkle  o'  gold,  Lady,  and  a 
glint  o'  diamonds." 

But  the  lady  was  weeping,  and  could  not  answer ;  so  Cap 
tain  January  turned  to  her  husband,  who-  met  him  with  a 
warm  grasp  of  the  hand,  and  a  few  hearty  and  kindly  words. 

"  And  now  I'll  leave  ye  with  the  minister  for  a  minute, 
Lady  and  Gentleman,"  the  Captain  said ;  "  for  Bob  Peet  is 
a-signalin'  me  as  if  he'd  sprung  aleak  below  the  water  line, 
and  all  hands  goin'  to  the  bottom." 

Bob,  who  had  withdrawn  a  few  paces  after  beaching  his 
boat,  was  indeed  making  frantic  demonstrations  to  attract 
the  Captain's  attention,  dancing  and  snapping  his  fingers, 
and  contorting  his  features  in  strange  and  hideous  fashion. 


THE    VISIT.  41 

"  Well,  Bob,"  said  the  old  man,  walking  up  to  him,  "  what's 
ap  with  you,  and  why  are  ye  h'istin'  and  lowerin'  your  jib 
in  that  onearthly  fashion  ?  " 

Bob  Peet  seized  him  by  the  arm,  and  led  him  away  up 
the  beach.  "  Cap'n,"  he  said,  looking  round  to  make  sure 
that  they  were  out  of  hearing  of  the  others,  "  I  can't  touch 
a  lady  —  not  seamanly  !  But  'f  you  say  the  word  —  knock 
genTm'n  feller  —  middle  o'  next  week.  Say  the  word, 
Cap'n!  Good's  a  meal  o'  vittles  fine  —  h'ist  him  over 
cliff ! " 


CHAPTER  V. 


AND  where  was  little  Star,  while  all  this  was  going  on. 
down  on  the  beach  ?  Oh,  she  had  been  having  a 
delightful  afternoon.  It  was  cloudy,  and  Daddy  was  going 
to  be  busy,  so  she  had  determined  to  spend  an  hour  or  so  in 
her  own  room,  and  enjoy  all  the  delights  of  "  dressing  up." 
For  the  great  chest  that  had  been  washed  ashore  from  the 
wreck,  the  day  after  she  herself  had  come  to  the  island,  was 
full  of  clothes  belonging  to  her  "poor  mamma" ;  and  as  we 
have  seen,  the  little  woman  was  fully  inclined  to  make  use 
of  them. 

Beautiful  clothes  they  were ;  rich  silks  and  velvets,  with 
here  and  there  cloudy  laces  and  strange  webs  of  Eastern 
gauze.  For  she  had  been  a  beautiful  woman,  this  poor 
mamma,  and  it  had  been  the  delight  of  Hugh  Maynard,  her 
proud  and  fond  husband,  to  deck  his  lovely  wife  in  all  rare 
and  precious  stuffs.  Some  of  them  were  stained  with  sea- 
water,  and  many  of  the  softer  stuffs  were  crumpled  and 
matted  hopelessly,  but  that  mattered  little  to  Star.  Her 
eyes  delighted  in  soft,  rich  colors,  and  she  was  never  weary 
of  turning  them  over  and  over,  trying  them  on,  and  t(  play 
ing  s'pose  "  with  them. 

"  S'pose,"  she  would  say,  "  my  poor  mamma  was  going  to 
a  banquet,  like  the  Capulet  one,  or  Macbeth's.  Oh,  no ! 
'cause  that  would  have  been  horrid,  with  ghosts  and  daggers 
and  things.  S'pose  it  was  the  Capulets  !  Then  she  would 

12 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S   STAR.  43 

put  on  this  pink  silk.  Isn't  it  pretty,  and  soft,  and  creamy  ! 
Just  like  the  wild  roses  on  the  south  side  of  the  meadow, 
that  I  made  a  wreath  of  for  Imogen  on  her  birthday.  Dear 
Imogen!  it  was  so  becoming  to  her.  Well,  so  my  poor 
mamma  put  it  on  —  so!  and  then  she  paced  through  the 
hall,  and  all  the  lords  turned  round  and  said,  e  Mark'st  thou 
yon  lady  ?  '  'Cause  she  was  so  beautiful,  you  know.  This 
is  the  way  she  paced ! "  and  then  the  little  creature  would 
fall  to  pacing  up  and  down  the  room,  dragging  the  volumi 
nous  pink  folds  behind  her,  her  head  thrown  back,  and  a  look 
of  delighted  pride  lighting  up  her  small  face. 

It  was  the  funniest  little  place,  this  room  of  Star's,  the 
queerest,  quaintest  little  elfin  bower  !  It  was  built  out  from 
the  south  side  of  the  tower,  almost  like  a  swallow's  nest, 
only  a  swallow's  nest  has  no  window  looking  out  on  the  blue 
sea.  There  was  a  little  white  bed  in  a  corner,  and  a  neat 
chest  of  drawers,  and  a  wash-stand,  all  made  by  Captain 
January's  skilful  hands,  and  all  shining  and  spotless.  The 
bare  floor  was  shining  too,  and  so  was  the  little  looking-glass 
which  hung  upon  the  wall.  And  beside  the  looking-glass, 
and  above  it,  and  in  fact  all  over  the  walls,  were  trophies 
and  wonders  of  all  kinds  and  descriptions.  There  was  the 
starfish  with  ten  legs,  pinned  up  in  sprawling  scarlet  j  and 
there,  beside  him,  the  king  of  all  the  sea-urchins,  resplen 
dent  with  green  and  purple  horns.  And  here  were  ropes  of 
shells,  and  branches  of  coral,  and  over  the  bed  a  great  shin 
ing  star,  made  of  the  delicate  gold-shells.  That  was  Daddy's 
present  to  her  on  her  last  birthday.  Dear  Daddy  !  There, 
sitting  in  the  corner,  was  Mrs.  Neptune,  the  doll  which 
Captain  January  had  carved  out  of  a  piece  of  fine  wood  that 
had  drifted  ashore  after  a  storm.  Her  eyes  were  tiny  black 
gnaiVshells,  her  hair  was  of  brown  sea-moss,  very  thick  and 


44  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

soft  ("though  as  for  combing  it,"  said  Star,  "it  is  im-pos- 
siblel"),  and  a  smooth  pink  shell  was  set  in  either  cheek, 
"to  make  a  blush."  Mrs.  Neptune  was  somewhat  battered, 
as  Star  was  in  the  habit  of  knocking  her  head  against  the 
wall  when  she  was  in  a  passion;  but  she  maintained  her 
gravity  of  demeanor,  and  always  sat  with  her  back  per 
fectly  straight,  and  with  an  air  of  protest  against  everything 
in  general. 

In  the  window  stood  the  great  chest,  at  once  a  treasure- 
chamber  and  a  seat;  and  over  it  hung  one  of  the  most 
precious  things  of  Star's  little  world.  It  was  a  string  of 
cocoanut-shells.  Fifteen  of  them  there  were,  and  each  one 
was  covered  with  curious  and  delicate  carving,  and  each  one 
meant  a  whole  year  of  a  man's  life.  "For  the  nuts  was 
ripe  when  we  kem  ashore,  my  good  mate  Job  Hotham  and 
me,  on  that  island.  So  when  the  nuts  was  ripe  agin,  ye  see, 
Jewel  Bright,  we  knowed  'twas  a  year  since  we  kem.  So  I 
took  my  jack-knife  and  carved  this  first  shell,  as  a  kind  o' 
token,  ye  know,  and  not  thinkin'  there'd  be  so  many  to 
carve."  So  the  first  shell  was  all  covered  with  ships  :  fair 
vessels,  with  sails  all  set,  and  smooth  seas  rippling  beneath 
them ;  the  ships  that  were  even  then  on  their  way  to  rescue 
the  two  castaways.  And  the  second  was  carved  with  anchors, 
the  sign  of  hope,  and  with  coils  of  rope,  and  nautical  instru 
ments,  and  things  familiar  to  seamen's  eyes.  But  the  third 
was  carved  with  stars,  and  sickle-curved  moons,  and  broad- 
rayed  suns,  "  Because,  ye  see,  Peach  Blossom,  earthly  hope 
bein'  as  ye  might  say  foundered,  them  things,  and  what  was 
above  'em,  stayed  where  they  was  ;  and  it  stiddied  a  man's 
mind  to  think  on  'em,  and  to  make  a  note  on  'em  as  fur  as 
might  be."  And  then  came  one  covered  with  flowers  and 
berries,  and  another  with  fruits,  and  another  with  shells, 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAR,  45 

and  so  on  through  the  whole  fifteen.  They  hung  now  in 
little  Star's  window,  a  strange  and  piteous  record ;  and  every 
night  before  the  child  said  her  prayers,  she  kissed  the  first 
and  last  shell,  and  then  prayed  that  Daddy  Captain  might 
forget  the  "  dreadful  time/7  and  never,  never  think  about  it 
again. 

So,  on  this  gray  day,  when  other  things  were  going  on 
out-of-doors,  Star  was  having  a  "  good  time  "  in  her  room. 
She  had  found  in  the  treasure-chest  a  short  mantle  of  gold- 
colored  velvet,  which  made  "a  just  exactly  skirt"  for  her, 
the  two  ends  trailing  behind  enough  to  give  her  a  sense  of 
dignity,  but  not  enough  to  impede  her  movements.  "  For 
I  am  not  a  princess  to-day  !  "  she  said ;  "  I  am  delicate  Ariel, 
and  the  long  ones  get  round  my  feet  so  I  can't  run."  Then 
came  a  long  web  of  what  she  called  "  sunshine,"  and  really 
it  might  have  been  woven  of  sunbeams,  so  airy-light  was  the 
silken  gauze  of  the  fabric.  This  my  lady  had  wound  round 
and  round  her  small  person  with  considerable  art,  the 
fringed  ends  hanging  from  either  shoulder,  and  making,  to 
her  mind,  a  fair  substitute  for  wings.  "See!"  she  cried, 
running  to  and  fro,  and  glancing  backward  as  she  ran. 
"They  wave!  they  really  do  wave!  Look,  Mrs.  Neptune ! 
aren't  they  lovely  ?  But  you  are  envious,  and  that  is  why 
you  look  so  cross.  c  Merrily,  merrily,  shall  I  live  now, 
under  the  blossom  that  hangs  on  the  bough.' ''  She  leaped 
and  danced  about  the  room,  light  and  radiant  as  a  creature 
of  another  world :  then  stopped,  to  survey  with  frowning 
brows  her  little  blue  stockings  and  stout  laced  boots.  "  Ariel 
never  wore  such  things  as  those ! "  she  declared ;  "  if  you 
say  she  did,  Mrs.  Neptune,  you  show  your  ignorance,  and 
that  is  all  I  have  to  say  to  you."  Off  came  the  shoes  and 
stockings,  and  the  little  white  feet  were  certainly  much 


46  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

prettier  to  look  at.  "  Now,"  cried  Star,  "  I  will  go  down 
stairs  and  wait  for  Daddy  Captain,  and  perhaps  he  will 
think  I  am  a  real  fairy.  Oh,  wouldn't  that  be  fun !  I  am 
sure  I  look  like  one  ! "  and  down  the  stairs  she  flitted  like  a 
golden  butterfly.  Once  in  the  kitchen,  the  housewife  in 
her  triumphed  for  a  moment  over  the  fairy  :  she  raked  up 
the  fire,  put  on  more  wood,  and  swept  the  hearth  daintily. 
"  But  Ariel  did  such  things  for  Prospero,"  she  said.  "  I'm 
Ariel  just  the  same,  so  I  may  as  well  fill  the  kettle  and  put 
some  apples  down  to  roast."  This  was  soon  done,  and 
clapping  her  hands  with  delight  the  "  tricksy  spirit "  began 
to  dance  and  frolic  anew. 

"  '  Come  unto  these  yellow  sands, 
And  then  take  hands  ! '  " 

she  sang,  holding  out  her  hands  to  invisible  companions. 

"  '  Courtesied  when  ye  have,  and  kissed 

(The  wild  waves  whist !) 
Foot  it  f eatly  here  and  there. ' 

"  Oh !  foot  it  f  eatly,  and  feat  it  f  ootly,  and  dance  and 
sing,  and  tootle-ty  ting !  "  cried  the  child,  as  she  flitted  like 
a  golden  cloud  about  the  room.  Then,  as  she  whirled 
round  and  faced  the  door,  she  stopped  short.  Her  arms 
fell  by  her  side,  and  she  stood  as  if  spellbound,  looking  at 
the  lady  who  stood  in  the  doorway. 

The  lady  made  no  motion  at  first,  but  only  gazed  at  her 
with  loving  and  tender  eyes.  She  was  a  beautiful  lady, 
and  her  eyes  were  soft  and  blue,  with  a  look  of  tears  in 
them.  But  there  was  no  answering  softness  in  the  starry 
eyes  of  the  child :  only  a  wide,  wild  look  of  wonder,  of 
anger,  perhaps  of  fear.  Presently  the  lady,  still  silent, 


CAPTAIN  JANUABY'S   STAB.  47 

raised  both  hands,  and  kissed  them  tenderly  to  the  child ; 
then  laid  them  on  her  breast,  and  then  held  them  out  to  her 
with  a  gesture  of  loving  appeal. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  you  are  a  spirit  of  health  or  a 
goblin  damned,"  said  Star ;  "  but  anyhow  it  isn't  polite  to 
come  into  people's  houses  without  knocking,  /  think.  I 
knowed  you  were  a  spirit  when  you  looked  at  me  yesterday, 
if  you  did  have  a  red  shawl  on." 

"  How  did  you  know  that  I  was  a  spirit  ?  "  asked  the  lady, 
softly.  "  Oh,  little  Star,  how  did  you  know  ?  " 

"'Cause  you  looked  like  my  poor  mamma's  picture," 
replied  the  child,  "  that  my  poor  papa  had  round  his  neck. 
Are  you  my  mamma's  spirit  ?  " 

The  lady  shook  her  head.  "  No,  darling,"  she  said,  "  1  am 
no  spirit.  But  I  have  come  to  see  you,  little  Star,  and  to 
tell  you  something.  Will  you  not  let  me  come  in,  Sweet 
heart?" 

Star  blushed,  and  hung  her  head  for  a  moment,  remem 
bering  Captain  January's  lessons  on  politeness  and  "quar 
ter-deck  manners."  She  brought  a  chair  at  once,  and  in  a 
more  gracious  tone  said  (mindful  of  Willum  Shakespeare's 
lords  and  ladies),  "I  pray  you  sit !" 

The  lady  sat  down,  and  taking  the  child's  hand,  drew  her 
gently  toward  her.  "Were  you  playing  fairy,  dear?"  she 
asked,  smoothing  back  the  golden  hair,  with  loving  touch. 

Star  nodded.  "I  was  delicate  Ariel,"  she  said.  "I  was 
footing  it  featly,  you  know,  on  these  yellow  sands.  Some 
times  I  am  Puck,  and  sometimes  Titania ;  but  Daddy  likes 
Ariel  best,  and  so  do  I.  Did  you  ever  play  it  ?  ''  she  asked, 
looking  up  into  the  kindly  face  that  bent  over  her. 

The  lady  smiled  and  shook  her  head.  "  N"o,  dear  child," 
she  said,  still  with  that  motherly  touch  of  the  hand  on  the 


±8  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

fair  head.  "  I  never  thought  of  such  a  pretty  play  as  that, 
but  I  was  very  happy  as  a  child  playing  with  my  —  with 
my  sister.  I  had  a  dear,  dear  sister,  Star.  Would  you  like 
to  hear  about  her  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Star,  with  wondering  eyes.  "Was  she  a 
little  girl?" 

"Such  a  lovely  little  girl!"  said  the  lady.  "Her  hair 
was  dark,  but  her  eyes  were  like  yours,  Star,  blue  and  soft. 
We  played  together  always  as  children,  and  we  grew  up 
together,  two  loving,  happy  girls.  Then  my  sister  married : 
and  by  and  by,  dear,  she  had  a  little  baby.  A  sweet  little 
girl  baby,  and  she  named  it  Isabel,  after  me." 

"  I  was  a  little  girl  baby,  too,"  said  Star,  "  but  I  wasn't 
named  anything;  I  came  so:  just  Star." 

"  Little  Isabel  had  another  name,"  said  the  lady.  •  "  Her 
other  name  was  Maynard,  because  that  was  her  father's 
name.  Her  father  was  Hugh  Maynard.  Have  you  ever 
seen  or  heard  that  name,  my  child  ?  " 

Star  shook  her  head.  "  No  ! "  she  said ;  "  my  poor  papa's 
name  was  H.  M.  It  was  marked  on  his  shirt  and  han'k'- 
chief,  Daddy  says.  And  my  poor  mamma's  name  was 
Helena,  just  like  Helena  in  Midsummer  Night's  Dream." 
The  motherly  hand  trembled,  and  the  lady's  voice  faltered 
as  she  said,  "  Star,  my  dear  sister's  name  was  Helena,  too. 
Is  not  that  strange,  my  little  one  ?  " 

The  child  looked  curiously  at  her.  "  Where  is  your  dear 
sister  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Why  do  you  cry  when  you  say  her 
name  ?  is  she  naughty  ?  " 

"  Listen,  Star,"  said  the  lady,  wiping  the  tears  from  her 
eyes,  and  striving  to  speak  composedly.  "  My  sister  made 
a  voyage  to  Europe,  with  her  husband  and  her  little  baby. 
They  spent  the  summer  travelling  in  beautiful  countries ; 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S   STAR,  49 

and  in  the  autumn,  in  September,  Star,  ten  years  ago  this 
very  year  —  think  of  it,  my  dear  !  —  they  sailed  for  home. 
They  came  in  a  sailing-vessel,  because  the  sea-voyage  was 
thought  good  for  your  —  for  my  sister.  And  —  and  —  the 
vessel  was  never  heard  from.  There  was  a  terrible  storm, 
and  many  vessels  were  lost  in  it." 

"  Just  like  my  poor  mamma's  ship ! "  said  the  child. 
"  Perhaps  it  was  the  same  storm.  Do  you  think  —  why  do 
you  look  at  me  so  ?  "  slie  cried,  breaking  off  suddenly. 

But  the  lady  put  both  arms  round  her  and  drew  her  close, 
close,  while  her  tears  fell  fast  on  the  golden  hair.  "My 
darling ! "  she  cried,  "  my  dear,  dear  little  one  !  It  tvas  the 
same  storm ;  the  same  storm  and  the  same  ship.  Your  poor 
mamma  was  my  own  sweet  sister  Helena,  and  you  are  my 
niece,  my  little  Isabel,  my  own,  own  little  namesake.  Will 
you  love  me,  darling  ?  will  you  love  your  Aunt  Isabel,  and 
let  her  care  for  you  and  cherish  you  as  your  sweet  mother 
would  have  done  ?  " 

Star  stood  very  still,  neither  returning  nor  repelling  the 
lady's  caresses.  She  was  pale,  and  her  breath  came  short 
and  quick,  but  otherwise  she  showed  no  sign  of  agitation. 
Presently  she  put  up  her  hand  and  stroked  the  lady's  cheek 
gently.  "Why  do  you  cry?"  she  asked  quietly.  "My 
poor  mamma  is  in  heaven.  Don't  you  like  her  to  be  in 
heaven  ?  Daddy  says  it  is  much  nicer  than  here,  and  he 
knows." 

Mrs.  Morton  checked  her  tears,  and  smiled  tenderly  in 
the  little  wondering  face.  "Dear  child!"  she  said,  "I  do 
like  to  have  her  in  heaven,  and  I  will  not  cry  any  more. 
But  you  have  not  told  me  whether  you  will  love  me,  Star. 
Will  you  try,  dear  ?  and  will  you  let  me  call  you  my  little 
Isabel  ?  " 


60  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

"  I  will  love  you/'  replied  the  child.  -'  if  Daddy  Captain 
loves  you ;  I  will  love  you  very  much.  But  you  must  not 
call  me  that  name,  'cause  I'm  not  it.  I  am  just  Star.  Does 
Daddy  love  you  ?  "  she  asked ;  and  then  with  a  sudden  note 
of  anxiety  in  her  voice,  she  exclaimed,  "  Where  is  Daddy  ? 
where  is  my  Daddy  Captain  ?  Did  you  see  him  when  you 
came  in  ?  " 

Her  question  was  answered  by  the  sound  of  voices  out 
side  ;  and  the  next  moment  the  minister  appeared,  followed 
by  Mr.  Morton  and  Captain  January.  The  old  Captain 
hastened  to  place  a  chair  for  each  of  the  gentlemen  by  the 
fireside,  and  then  took  his  stand  against  the  wall  on  the  fur 
ther  side  of  the  room.  He  held  his  weather-beaten  cap  in 
his  hand,  and  turned  it  slowly  round  and  round,  consider 
ing  it  attentively.  It  might  have  been  observed  by  one  quick 
to  notice  trifles,  that  he  did  not  look  at  the  child,  though  no 
slightest  motion  of  hers  was  lost  upon  him. 

"•  George,'7  said  Mrs.  Morton  joyously,  to  her  husband, 
"here  is  our  little  niece,  dearest  Helena's  child.  She  is 
going  to  love  me,  she  says,  and  she  will  love  you,  too.  Star, 
my  darling,  this  is  your  Uncle  George.  Will  you  not  give 
him  a  kiss,  and  be  his  little  girl  as  well  as  mine  ?  We  have 
two  little  girls  at  home,  and  you  shall  be  the  third." 

Star  went  obediently  to  Mr.  Morton,  who  kissed  her 
warmly,  and  tried  to  take  her  on  his  knee.  "  You  are  taller 
than  our  Grace,"  he  said,  "  but  I  don't  believe  you  are  as 
heavy,  my  dear.  Grace  is  just  your  age,  and  I  am  sure  you 
will  be  great  friends." 

But  Star  slipped  quietly  from  his  arms,  and,  running  to 
the  Captain,  took  one  of  his  hands  in  both  of  hers  and  kissed 
it.  "I  am  Daddy  Captain's  little  girl!"  she  said,  looking 
round  bravely  at  the  others.  "Why  do  you  talk  as  if  I 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S   STAR,  51 

belonged  to  you  ?  "  Then  seeing  the  trouble  in  Mrs.  Morton's 
face,  she  added,  "  I  will  love  you,  truly  I  will,  and  I  will 
call  you  Aunt  Isabel ;  but  I  cannot  belong  to  different  people, 
'cause  I'm  only  just  one.  Just  Captain  January's  Star." 

She  looked  up  in  the  old  man's  face  with  shining  eyes, 
but  no  tender,  confident  look  returned  her  glance.  The 
brown  hand  trembled  between  her  two  little  white  palms ; 
the  keen  blue  eyes  were  still  bent  fixedly  upon  the  old 
woollen  cap,  as  if  studying  its  texture ;  but  it  was  in  a  quiet 
and  soothing  tone  that  the  Captain  murmured  :  — 

"Easy,  Jewel  Bright!  Easy  now!  Helm  steady,  and 
stand  by ! " 

There  was  a  moment  of  troubled  silence ;  and  then  the 
old  minister,  clearing  his  throat,  spoke  in  his  gentle,  trail- 
quil  voice.  "My  dear  child/'  he  said,  "a  very  strange 
thing  has  come  to  pass ;  but  what  seems  strange  to  us  is 
doubtless  clear  and  simple  to  the  Infinite  Wisdom  above  us. 
You  have  been  a  faithful  and  loving  child,  little  Star,  to 
your  beloved  guardian  and  friend  here,  and  no  father  could 
have  cared  for  you  more  tenderly  than  he  has  done.  But  the 
tie  of  blood  is  a  strong  one,  my  dear,  and  should  not  be  lightly 
set  aside.  This  lady  is  your  own  near  relation,  the  sister  of 
your  dear  dead  mother.  Through  the  merciful  providence 
of  God,  she  has  been  led  to  you,  and  she  feels  it  her  duty  to 
claim  you,  in  the  name  of  your  parents.  We  have  consid 
ered  the  matter  carefully,  and  we  all  feel  that  it  is  right 
that  you  should  hereafter  make  your  home  with  her  and 
your  uncle.  This  may  be  painful  to  you,  my  dear,  but  you 
are  a  good  and  intelligent  child,  and  you  will  understand 
that  if  we  give  you  pain  now,  it  is  to  secure  your  future 
good  and  happiness." 

He   paused;   and  all   eyes,  save   those   keen   blue   ones 


52  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

which  were  studying  so  carefully  the  texture  of  the  battered 
woollen  cap,  turned  anxiously  on  the  child.  A  deep  flush 
passed  over  Star's  face ;  then  vanished,  leaving  it  deadly 
pale,  a  mask  of  ivory  with  eyes  of  flame.  When  she  spoke, 
it  was  in  a  low,  suppressed  voice,  wholly  unlike  her  own. 

"  You  may  kill  me,"  said  the  child,  "  and  take  my  body 
away,  if  you  like.  I  will  not  go  while  I  am  alive." 

She  turned  her  eyes  from  one  to  the  other,  as  if  watching 
for  the  slightest  motion  to  approach  her. 

Mrs.  Morton,  in  great  distress,  spoke  next.  "  My  darling, 
it  grieves  me  to  the  heart  to  take  you  from  your  dear,  kind 
Daddy.  But  think,  my  Star ;  you  are  a  child  now,  but  you 
will  soon  be  a  woman.  You  cannot  grow  up  to  womanhood 
in  a  place  like  this.  You  must  be  with  your  own  people, 
and  have  companions  of  your  own  age.  My  children  will 
be  like  your  own  sisters  and  brothers.  My  dear,  if  you 
could  only  know  how  they  will  love  you,  how  we  shall  all 
cherish  and  care  for  you  ! " 

"  When  I  am  dead  ?  "  asked  Star.  "  It  will  make  no 
difference  to  me,  your  love,  for  I  shall  be  dead.  I  will  not 
go  alive." 

"  Oh,  Captain  January ! "  cried  Mrs.  Morton,  turning  to 
the  old  man,  with  clasped  hands.  "  Speak  to  her !  she  will 
listen  to  you.  Tell  her  —  tell  her  what  you  said  to  me. 
Tell  her  that  it  is  right  for  her  to  go  ;  that  you  wish  her  to 
go!" 

The  old  man's  breathing  was  heavy  and  labored,  and  for 
a  moment  it  seemed  as  if  he  strove  in  vain  for  utterance : 
but  when  he  spoke,  his  voice  was  still  soothing  and  cheer 
ful,  though  his  whole  great  frame  was  trembling  like  a 
withered  leaf.  "  Star  Bright,"  he  said  (and  between  almost 
every  word  he  paused  to  draw  the  short,  heavy  breath),  "I 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAR.  53 

always  told  ye,  ye  'member,  that  ye  was  the  child  of  gen- 
tlefolks.  So  bein',  'tis  but  right  that  you  should  have 
gentle  raisin'  by  them  as  is  yer  own  flesh  and  blood.  You've 
done  your  duty,  and  more  than  your  duty,  by  me.  Now 
'tis  time  ye  did  your  duty  by  them  as  the  Lord  has  sent  to 
ye.  You'll  have  —  my  —  my  respeckful  love  and  duty 
wherever  you  go,  my  dear,  and  you  growin'  up  to  be  a  beau 
tiful  lady,  as  has  been  a  little  wild  lass.  And  you'll  not 
forget  the  old  Cap'n,  well  I  know,  as  will  be  very  comf 'table 
here  —  " 

But  here  the  child  broke  out  with  a  wild,  loud  cry,  which 
made  all  the  others  start  to  their  feet.  "Do  you  want  me 
to  go  ?  "  she  cried.  "  Look  at  me,  Daddy  Captain !  you 
shall  look  at  me  ! "  she  snatched  the  cap  from  his  hands 
and  flung  it  into  the  fire,  then  faced  him  with  blazing  eyes 
and  quivering  lip.  "Do  you  want  me  to  go  ?  are  you  tired 
of  me  ?  " 

Heavier  and  heavier  grew  that  weight  on  Captain  Janu- 
ary's  chest :  shorter  and  harder  came  his  breath.  His  eyes 
met  the  child's  for  a  moment,  then  wavered  and  fell. 
"  Why  —  honey  —  "  he  said  slowly,  "I  —  I'm  an  old  man 
now  —  a  very  old  man.  And  —  and— ran  old  man  likes 
quiet,  ye  see :  and  —  I'd  be  quieter  by  myself,  like ;  and  — 
and  so,  honey  —  I  —  I'd  like  ye  to  go." 

"  You  lie  I "  cried  the  child ;  and  her  voice  rang  like  a 
silver  trumpet  in  the  startled  ears  of  the  listeners.  "  You 
lie  to  me,  and  you  lie  to  God  :  and  you  'know  you  lie  !  " 

The  next  moment  she  had  sprung  on  to  the  low  window-sill, 
then  turned  for  an  instant,  with  her  little  hands  clenched  in 
menace,  and  her  great  eyes  flashing  fire  that  fell  like  a  burn 
ing  touch  on  every  heart.  Her  fantastic  dress  gleamed  like 
a  fiery  cloud  against  the  gray  outside  :  her  hair  fell  like  a 


0-i  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

glory  about  her  vivid,  shining  face.  A  moment  she  stood 
there,  a  vision,  a  flying  star,  trailing  angry  light,  never  to 
be  forgotten  by  those  who  saw ;  then,  like  a  flash,  she  van 
ished. 

Captain  January  tottered  to  his  old  chair  and  sat  down 
in  it.  "  The  child  is  right,  Lady  and  Gentleman  ! "  he  said 
"  I  lied. !  I  lied  to  my  God,  and  to  the  little  child  who  loved 
me.  May  God  and  the  child  forgive  me  ! "  And  he  hid  his 
face  in  his  hands,  and  silence  fell  for  a  moment. 

Then  Mr.  Morton,  who  had  walked  hastily  to  the  window, 
and  was  doing  something  with  his  handkerchief,  beckoned 
to  his  wife.  "  Isabel/'  he  said,  in  a  low  tone,  "  I  will  not  be 
a  party  to  this.  It's  an  atrocious  and  vindictive  outrage. 
I  —  I — you  are  not  the  woman  I  took  you  for,  if  you  say 
another  word  to  that  old  angel.  Let  him  have  the  child., 
and  send  him  one  or  two  of  your  own  into  the  bar  — "  but 
Isabel  Morton,  laughing  through  her  tears,  laid  her  hand 
over  her  husband's  lips  for  a  moment.  Then  going  to  the 
old  man's  chair,  she  knelt  down  by  it  and  took  his  two 
hands  in  hers. 

"  Captain  January  !  "  she  said,  tenderly.  "  Dear,  dear 
Captain  January  !  the  lie  is  forgiven :  I  am  very,  very  sure 
it  is  forgiven  in  heaven,  as  it  will  be  forgiven  in  the  child's 
loving  heart.  And  may  God  never  pardon  me,  if  ever  word 
or  look  of  mine  come  again  between  you  and  the  child 
whom  God  gave  you ! " 

The  gray  evening  was  closing  in  around  the  lighthouse 
tower.  The  guests  were  gone,  and  Captain  January  sat 
alone  beside  the  fire  in  his  old  armchair.  The  window  was 
still  open,  for  the  air  was  soft  and  mild.  The  old  man's 
hands  were  clasped  upon  his  knee ;  his  heart  was  lifted  as 
high  as  heaven,  in  silent  prayer  and  praise  > 


CAPTAIN  JANUARY'S  STAE.  55 

Suddenly,  at  the  window,  there  was  a  gleani  of  yellow, 
a  flitting  shape,  a  look,  a  pause ;  then  a  great  glad  cry, 
and  Star  flitted  like  a  ray  of  moonlight  through  the  window, 
and  fell  on  Captain  January's  breast. 

"  Daddy,"  she  said,  breaking  the  long,  happy  silence, 
"  dear  Daddy,  I  am  sorry  I  burned  your  horrid  old  cap  ! " 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE   SIGNAL. 

QUIETLY  passed  the  days,  the  weeks,  the  months,  in 
the  lonely  tower  on  the  rock  fronting  the  Atlantic 
surge.  Winter  caine,  and  folded  it  in  a  white  mantle,  and 
decked  it  with  frost-jewels.  Like  a  pillar  of  ice,  the  tower 
shone  in  the  keen  brilliance  of  the  northern  sun ;  but  within 
was  always  summer,  the  summer  of  perfect  peace  and  con 
tentment.  To  the  child  Star,  winter  was  always  a  season 
of  great  delight ;  for  Captain  January  had  little  to  occupy 
him  out  of  doors,  and  could  devote  much  of  his  time  to  her. 
So  there  were  long,  delightful  "  jack-knife  times/7  as  Star 
called  them,  when  the  Captain  sat  fashioning  all  sorts  of 
wonderful  trifles  with  his  magic  knife,  the  child  sitting  at 
his  elbow  and  watching  him  with  happy  eyes.  There  were 
"  story  times,"  instituted  years  before,  as  soon  as  Star  had 
learned  to  sew  on  patchwork ;  for  as  for  sewing  without  a 
story  to  listen  to,  "  that,"  said  Star,  "  it,  against  my  nature, 
Daddy.  And  you  don't  want  me  to  do  things  that  are  against 
my  nature,  do  you  ?  "  So  whenever  the  squares  of  gay  calico 
came  out,  and  the  golden  h  sad  bent  to  and  fro  over  them, 
like  a  paradise  bird  hovering  over  a  bed  of  gaudy  flowers, 
the  story  came  out  too,  between  puffs  of  the  pipe,  while  the 
fire  crackled  a  cheery  accompaniment,  sputtering  defiance 
to  the  wind  that  whistled  outside.  Some  tale  of  the  south 
ern  seas,  and  the  wild  tropic  islands,  of  coral  reefs  and  pearl- 
fisheries,  sharks  and  devil-fish;  or  else  a  whaling  story, 
56 


THE  SIGNAL.  57 

fresh  and  breezy  as  the  north,  full  of  icebergs,  and  seal« 
hunts  over  the  cracking  floes,  polar  bears,  and  all  the  wild 
delights  of  whale-fishing. 

Then,  011  fine  days  (and  oh,  but  the  days  are  fine,  in 
these  glorious  northern  winters  !)  there  was  much  joy  to  be 
had  out  of  doors.  For  there  was  a  spot  in  the  little  meadow, 
—  once  of  gold-flecked  emerald,  now  of  spotless  pearl,  —  a 
spot  where  the  ground  "  tilted,"  to  use  Star's  expression,  sud 
denly  down  to  a  tiny  hollow,  where  a  fairy  spring  bubbled 
out  of  the  rock  into  a  fairy  lake.  In  summer,  Star  rather 
despised  this  lake,  which  was,  truth  to  tell,  only  twenty 
feet  long  and  ten  feet  wide.  It  was  very  nice  for  Imogen 
to  drink  from  and  to  stand  in  on  hot  days,  and  it  did  many 
lovely  things  in  the  way  of  reflecting  blue  skies  and  fleecy 
clouds  and  delicate  traceries  of  leaf  and  bough ;  but  as  water, 
it  seemed  a  very  trifling  thing  to  a  child  who  had  the  whole 
sweep  of  the  Atlantic  to  fill  her  eyes,  and  who  had  the 
breakers  for  her  playfellows  and  gossips. 

But  in  winter,  matters  were  different.  All  the  laughing 
lips  of  ripples,  all  the  white  tossing  crests  of  waves,  must 
content  themselves  with  the  ice-bound  rocks,  till  spring 
should  bring  them  their  child-comrade  again ;  and  the  little 
sheet  of  dark  crystal  in  the  hollow  of  the  meadow  had  things 
all  its  own  way,  and  mirrored  back  her  bright  face  every 
day.  The  little  red  sled,  launched  at  the  top  of  the  "  tilt," 
came  skimming  down  the  slope,  and  shot  like  an  arrow  over 
the  smooth  ice,  kept  always  clear  of  snow  by  the  Captain's 
ever-busy  hands ;  or  else,  when  tired  of  coasting,  the  child 
would  plant  her  small  feet  wide  apart,  and  slide,  and  run, 
and  slide  again,  till  the  pond  could  have  cracked  with 
pleasure,  if  such  a  thing  had  been  in  accordance  with  its 
principles. 


58  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

BUG  of  all  the  joyous  hours,  none  was  more  welcome  to 
the  child  than  that  after  the  simple  supper  was  cleared 
away  and  the  room  "redded  up."  Then,  while  fire  and 
lamplight  made  their  merriest  cheer,  the  table  was  drawn 
up  to  the  warmest  spot ;  Star  took  her  place  upon  Captain 
January's  knee,  and  the  two  heads,  the  silver  one  and  the 
golden,  bent  in  absorbed  interest  over  "Willum  Shake 
speare  "  or  the  Good  Book. 

Generally  the  Captain  read  aloud,  but  sometimes  they 
read  the  parts  in  turn ;  and  again  sometimes  the  child  would 
break  off,  and  recite  whole  passages  alone,  with  a  fire  and 
pathos  which  might  have  been  that  of  Maid  Marjorie,  sway 
ing  at  her  childish  will  the  heart  of  Sir  Walter  and  his 
friends. 

So  quietly,  in  the  unbroken  peace  which  love  brightened 
into  joy,  the  winter  passed. 

At  Christmas,  they  had,  as  usual,  a  visit  from  the  faith- 
ful  Bob,  who  brought  all  his  many  pockets  full  of  candy 
and  oranges  and  all  manner  of  "  truck,"  as  he  called  it,  for 
Missy  Star.  Also  he  brought  a  letter  and  a  box  directed 
only  to  "Captain  January's  Star."  The  letter,  which  the 
child  opened  with  wondering  eagerness,  being  the  first  she 
had  ever  received,  was  from  Mrs.  Morton.  It  was  full  of 
tender  and  loving  words,  wishes  for  Christmas  cheer  and 
New  Year  blessing,  and  with  it  was  a  photograph  of  the 
beautiful  face,  with  its  soft  and  tender  eyes,  which  Star 
remembered  so  welL  On  the  back  was  written,  "  For  little 
Star,  from  Aunt  Isabel."  And  the  box?  why  that  was 
quite  as  wonderful  in  its  way.  For  it  contained  a  most 
beautiful  pipe  for  the  Captain,  of  sweet  brierwood,  mounted 
in1  silver ;  and  oh !  oh !  such  a  doll !  Other  children  have 
seen  such  dolls,  but  Star  never  had ;  a  blue-eyed  waxeo 


THE  SIGNAL.  59 

beauty,  with  fringed  lashes  that  opened  and  shut,  rose-leaf 
cheeks,  and  fabulous  wealth  of  silky  flaxen  curls.  Also 
it  had  a  blue  velvet  frock,  and  its  underclothing  was  a 
wonder  to  behold;  and  the  box  was  full  of  other  frocks 
and  garments. 

Star  took  the  doll  in  her  arms  with  delighted  awe,  and 
seemed  for  a  few  moments  absorbed  in  her  new  treasure. 
Presently,  however,  a  shadow  crossed  her  bright  face.  She 
glanced  at  Bob  and  the  Captain,  and  seeing  that  they  were 
both  engaged  in  busy  talk,  she  quietly  went  up  to  her 
own  room,  carrying  the  doll  with  her.  Here  she  did  a 
strange  thing.  She  crossed  the  room  to  the  corner  where 
Mrs.  Neptune  sat,  with  her  back  rigid,  protesting  against 
circumstances,  and  set  the  radiant  stranger  down  beside 
her ;  then,  with  her  hands  clasped  behind  her,  and  brows 
bent,  she  considered  the  pair  long  and  attentively.  Truly 
they  were  a  strange  contrast :  the  delicate,  glowing,  velvet- 
clad  doll,  and  the  battered  old  wooden  image,  with  eyes  of 
snail-shells  and  hair  of  brown  sea-moss.  But  when  Star 
had  finished  her  scrutiny,  she  took  the  beautiful  doll,  and 
buried  it  deep  under  velvets  and  satins  at  the  very  bottom 
of  the  great  chest.  This  done,  she  kissed  Mrs.  Neptune 
solemnly,  and  proceeded  to  adorn  her  with  a  gorgeous  East 
ern  scarf,  the  very  gayest  her  treasure-house  could  afford. 

Meanwhile,  in  the  room  below,  the  talk  went  on,  grave 
and  earnest.  Troubled  it  was,  too,  on  one  side ;  for  though 
the  Captain  sat  quietly  in  his  chair,  and  spoke  in  his  usual 
cheerful  voice,  Bob  Feet's  rough  tones  were  harsh  and 
broken,  and  he  rose  from  his  place  once  or  twice  and  moved 
uneasily  about  the  room. 

"  Cap'n,"  he  said,  "  'tain't  so.  Don't  tell  me  !  Strong 
man  —  hearty  —  live  twenty  years  yet  —  like's  not  thirty  I 


60  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

Uncle  o'mine —  Punksquid —  hundred  and  three  —  peart' s 
chicken." 

Captain  January  puffed  at  his  pipe  in  silence  for  some 
minutes.  "  Bob/7  he  said  presently,  "  it  ain't  always  as  it's 
given  to  a  man  to  know  his  time.  I've  allers  thought  I 
should  take  it  particular  kind  if  it  'corded  with  the  Lord's 
views  to  let  me  know  when  He  was  ready  for  me.  And  now 
that  He  has  let  me  know,  and  moreover  has  set  my  mind 
that  easy  about  the  child  that  it's  a  pleasure  to  think  of, 
why,  it  ain't  likely  I  shall  take  it  anyway  but  kind.  Thank- 
in'  you  all  the  same,  Bob,  as  have  been  a  good  mate  to  me, 
and  as  I  sha'n't  forget  wherever  I  am.  But  see  now  ! ''  he 
added  hastily,  hearing  a  sound  in  the  room  above.  "  You 
understand,  Bob  ?  I  h'ist  that  signal,  as  it  might  be  to-mor 
row,  and  I  keep  her  flyin'  night  and  day.  And  so  long  as 
you  see  her  flyin',  you  says,  <  Cap'n' s  all  ^ight  so  far!' 
you  says.  But  you  keep  a  sharp  lookout;  and  if  some 
mornin'  you  don't  see  her,  you  says,  '  Sailin'  orders ! '  you 
says,  and  then  you  calls  Cap'n  Nazro,  as  never  failed  in  a 
kindness  yet,  nor  ain't  likely  to,  to  take  the  wheel,  and  you 
put  for  this  island.  And  Cap'n  Nazro  he  takes  the  Hun 
tress  in,  and  then  goes  straightway  and  sends  a  telegraft  to 
the  lady  and  gentleman,  sayin'  as  Cap'n  January  has  sailin' 
orders,  and  they  please  to  come  and  take  the  child,  as  law 
fully  to  them  belongs.  And  you,  Bob,  — "  the  old  man's 
steady  voice  faltered  a  little,  as  he  laid  his  hand  on  the 
other's  arm  —  "  you'll  do  all  you  can,  well  I  know.  For 
she'll  take  it  hard,  ye  see.  She  has  that  depth  o'  love  in  her 
little  heart,  and  never  nobody  to  love  'cept  me  since  she  were 
a  baby,  that  she'll  take  it  cruel  hard.  But  the  Lord'll  have 
her  in  mind :  He'll  have  her  in  mind !  and  you'll  stand  by, 
Bob,  and  bear  a  hand  till  the  lady  and  gentleman  come." 


THE  SIGNAL.  61 

Bob  Peet  held  out  his  honest  brown  hand,  and  the  two 
men  shook  hands  with  a  certain  solemnity ;  but  before 
either  of  them  could  speak  again,  Star  came  singing  down 
the  stairs,  and  summoned  them  both  to  play  at  ball  with 
oranges. 

And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  a  little  blue  signal  was 
hoisted  at  the  top  of  the  white  tower,  and  fluttered  there 
bravely  in  sun  and  wind.  And  every  time  the  Huntress 
went  thundering  by  (which  was  twice  a  week  at  this  season 
instead  of  every  day),  Bob  Peet  looked  out  anxiously  from 
the  wheelhouse  window,  and  seeing  the  little  banner,  took 
cheer,  and  rubbed  his  hands  and  said,  "  Cap'ii's  all  right  so 
far  ! " 

And  Captain  January,  whenever  there  came  the  clutch 
and  stab  at  his  heart,  and  the  struggle  for  breath,  which  he 
had  felt  for  the  first  time  that  September  day  (but  ah ! 
how  many  times  since,  and  with  what  increasing  persis 
tence  !)  would  creep  to  the  stairway  beside  which  hung  the 
signal  lines,  and  lay  his  hand  on  them,  and  wait :  then, 
when  the  spasm  passed,  would  pass  his  hand  across  his  face 
and  humbly  say,  "  Whenever  it  seems  right,  Lord  !  A  step 
nearer!  and  Thou  havin.'  the  child  in  mind,"  and  so  go 
cheerfully  about  his  work  again. 

There  were  not  many  more  steps  to  take.  Spring  came, 
and  the  little  meadow  was  green  again.  Eobins  and  blue 
birds  fluttered  above  the  great  pine-tree,  and  swallows  built 
their  nests  under  the  eaves  of  the  tower  itself.  The  child 
Star  sang  with  the  birds,  and  danced  with  the  dancing 
leaves,  all  unconscious  of  what  was  coming ;  but  the  old 
Captain's  steps  grew  slower  and  heavier,  day  by  day,  and 
the  cheery  voice  grew  feeble,  and  lost  its  hearty  ring, 
though  never  its  cheeriness.  "I'll  set  here  in  the  porch, 


62  CAPTAIN  JANUAEY. 

Jewel  Bright/7  he  would  say,  when  the  child  begged  him 
to  come  for  a  scramble  on  the  rocks.  "I  think  I'll  jest  set 
here,  where  I  can  see  ye  an'  hear  to  ye.  I'm  gittin'  lazy, 
Star  Light ;  that's  the  truth.  Yer  old  Daddy's  gittin'  lazy, 
and  its  comf'tabler  settin'  here  in  the  sun,  than  scramblin' 
round  the  rocks." 

And  Star  would  fling  herself  on  his  neck,  and  scold  and 
caress  him,  and  then  go  off  with  a  half-sense  of  disappoint 
ment  to  her  play.  Very,  very  careful  Captain  January  had 
to  be,  lest  the  child  should  suspect  that  which  he  was  deter 
mined  to  keep  from  her  to  the  last.  Sometimes  he  half 
thought  she  must  suspect,  so  tender  was  she  in  these  days ; 
so  thoughtful,  so  mindful  of  his  lightest  wish.  But  "  'tis 
only  the  woman  growin'  up  in  her,"  he  decided;  and 
looking  back,  he  remembered  that  she  had  not  once  broken 
his  pipe  (as  she  had  been  used  to  do  every  three  or  four 
weeks,  in  her  sudden  rages)  since  last  September. 

At  last  there  came  a  day  when  the  Captain  did  not  even 
go  out  to  the  porch.  It  was  a  lovely  May  morning,  bright 
and  soft,  with  wreaths  of  silvery  fog  floating  up  from  the 
blue  water,  and  much  sweet  sound  of  singing  birds  and  lap 
ping  waves  in  the  air.  Making  some  pretence  of  work  at 
his  carpenter's  bench,  the  old  man  sent  Star  out  to  loose 
the  cow  and  lead  her  to  the  water ;  and  when  she  was  gone, 
he  tottered  to  his  old  chair  and  sat  down  heavily.  There 
was  no  pain  now,  only  a  strange  numbness,  a  creeping  cold 
ness,  a  ringing  in  the  ears.  If  it  might  u  seem  right "  to 
let  him  wait  till  the  Huntress  came  by !  "  It's  nearly 
time,"  he  said  half  aloud.  "  Nearly  time,  and  'twould  be 
easier  for  the  child." 

At  this  moment,  through  the  open  doorway,  came  the 
silver  sound  of  Star's  voice.  "But  I  don't  think  there  can 


THE  SIGNAL.  63 

be  any  harm  in  my  just  telling  you  a  little  about  it,  Imogen. 
And  the  floor  is  the  paved  work  of  a  sapphire :  sapphire  is 
a  stone,  just  like  the  water  over  there,  in  the  bluest  place, 
and  oh !  so  clear  and  bright,  Daddy  says.  He  saw  one 
once.  And  there  will  be  most  beautiful  music,  Imogen. 
Oh!  you  can't  think  what  lovely  music  Daddy  Captain 
will  play  on  a  harp.  I  know  he  will,  'cause  he  will  be  a 
spirit  of  just  men  made  perfect :  and  that  will  be  a  great 
thing,  Imogen  ;  for  he  has  never  known  how  to  play  on  any 
thing  before  :  and  —  "  Ah  !  the  sweet,  childish  prattle  j  but 
already  it  was  growing  faint  upon  the  old  man's  ears. 

"  Star  Bright ! "  he  called  ;  and  the  dancing  shape  came 
flying,  and  stood  on  tiptoe  in  the  doorway.  Steady,  now, 
January !  keep  your  voice  steady,  if  there  is  any  will  left 
in  you.  Keep  your  head  turned  a  little  away,  lest  there  be 
any  change  in  your  face,  yet  not  turned  enough  to  make 
her  wonder.  "Star  Bright," 'said  Captain  January,  "it's 
about  —  time  — for  the  Huntress  —  to  be  along,  isn't  it  ?  " 

"Yes,  Daddy,"  said  the  child;  "she's  just  in  sight  now. 
Shall  I  go  down  and  wave  to  Bob  as  he  goes  by  ?  " 

"Yes,  Honeysuckle,"  said  the  old  man.  "And — and 
wait  to  see  if  he  comes  ashore.  I  think  —  likely  —  Bob'll 
come  ashore  to-day.  He  was  goin'  to  bring  —  somethin'  — 
for  me.  Is  there  a  squall  comin'  up,  Jewel  Bright  ?  " 

"  A  squall,  Daddy  ?  "  said  the  child,  wondering.  "  Why, 
there  isn't  a  cloud  in  the  sky." 

"  Jes'  so!"  said  Captain  January.  "I  —  only  jist  asked. 
Good  by,  Star  Bright." 

"  Dear  Daddy  !  Good  by  !  "  cried  the  child,  and  she  sped 
away  over  the  rocks. 

So  dark !  and  not  a  cloud  in  the  sky.  If  he  might  have 
looked  once  more,  with  those  fast-darkening  eyes,  at  the 


64  CAPTAIN  JANUARY. 

little  blessed  face  which  held  all  the  world  in  it !  if  he  could 
call  her  back  now,  and  kiss  her  once  more,  and  hold  her 
little  hand  —  No  !  no !  steady,  January  !  steady  now,  and 
stand  by  ! 

Quite  dark*  now.  But  that  does  not  matter.  No  need  of 
light  for  what  is  now  to  be  done.  Slowly  the  old  man  raises 
himself ;  feels  for  the  wall,  creeps  along  beside  it.  Here  is 
the  line.  Is  there  any  strength  left  in  that  benumbed  arm  ? 
Yes  !  "  For  the  child,  dear  Lord,  and  Thou  helpin'  me,  as 
ever  has  been  !  " 

Down  comes  the  signal,  and  the  old  man  creeps  back  to 
his  chair  again,  and  composes  himself  decently,  with  rever 
ent,  folded  hands  and  head  bowed  in  waiting.  "  '  He  holdeth 
the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand.  Behold,  He  taketh  up 
the  isles  as  a  very  little  thing.'  Amen  !  so  be  it !  " 

Wave,  little  Star !  wave  your  little  blue  apron  from  the 
rocks,  and  laugh  and  clap  your  hands  for  pleasure,  as  the 
ripples  from  the  steamer's  bow  break  in  snowy  foam  at  your 
feet.  Bend  to  your  oar,  Bob  Peet,  and  send  your  little  black 
boat  flying  over  the  water  as  she  never  flew  before !  and 
press  on,  friendly  Huntress,  to  your  port,  whence  the  winged 
message  may  speed  on  its  way  to  the  stately  lady  with  the 
tender  eyes,  who  waits  for  tidings  in  her  distant  home. 

For  Captain  January's  last  voyage  is  over,  and  he  is 
already  in  the  haven  where  he  would  be. 


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